Nelson Ardila's dream of migrating to the United States ended abruptly when he was deported from the Port Isabel Detention Center, Texas. After being handcuffed and treated like a criminal, he returned to Colombia with raw wrists from the shackles. The deportation came amid a diplomatic crisis between the two countries, yet his return was poorly managed, leaving him without support in Bogota. Ardila's journey to the U.S. had begun months earlier, fueled by hopes to improve his family's financial situation through migration.
"I have never felt so sad and vulnerable," says Ardila, reflecting on the inhumane treatment he faced during his sudden deportation after seeking asylum.
"Minutes later, he says, the ordeal began. They handcuffed him and chained him at the waist, as if he were a criminal," a poignant description of his experience.
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