In Piedras Negras, Mexico, on January 21 (Reuters) - Shortly after being sworn in as U.S. president, Honduran migrant Denia Mendez received unsettling news about her U.S. asylum appointment booking app.
Concerned about the implications for her appointment that same day, Mendez, a 32-year-old single mother, urgently contacted her daughter Sofia who had the CBP One app on her phone.
"Bring me the phone now, quickly," Mendez instructed Sofia. "Run, run!"
For Mendez, the January 21 asylum appointment marked the culmination of a challenging year-long journey.
She shared a distressing experience from January 1, 2024, when a gang member in Honduras demanded regular payments from her small Tupperware business. Fearing for her life after repeated threats, Mendez fled Honduras with her children and eventually made her way to Mexico.
Despite facing obstacles in Monterrey, Mendez persevered in seeking asylum to secure a future for her children. Finally scheduled for an appointment on January 21, 2025, her hopes were shattered when she received an email canceling her appointment.
Devastated by the news, Mendez, along with other migrant women, faced an uncertain future at the shelter in Piedras Negras.
Reflecting on her situation, Mendez's resolve remained strong despite the setback, epitomized by her actions to clean the shelter's floor as a distraction from the disappointment of the missed appointment.