Tracy, California – Just days before the New Year, Michel Bérrios made the tough decision to leave the United States, marking a small victory for President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda on mass deportation. Bérrios, a former leader in a student uprising in Nicaragua, had been living legally in the U.S. under a humanitarian parole set by President Joe Biden, which was designed to protect citizens from certain vulnerable countries. However, the harsh rhetoric from the U.S. election campaign reignited Bérrios’ memories of evading authorities back in Nicaragua, prompting her to leave despite her legal status.
Experts in immigration have noted that more individuals like Bérrios are choosing to exit the U.S. as uncertainty and fear take hold, particularly with Trump’s impending presidency. While there are no concrete statistics to gauge these departures, history indicates that similar backlash has prompted migrants, both documented and undocumented, to depart in previous political climates. Trump and his supporters are banking on this phenomenon of “self-deportation,” suggesting that they can make living conditions unbearable enough for people to leave voluntarily.
Bérrios expressed her disillusionment, saying, “I thought there would be a different culture here, and it was a rude awakening to realize that you and your family are not welcome.” This wave of self-deportation works in Trump’s favor by allowing him to achieve his objectives without significant government expenditures. Although Trump has made claims about wanting to deport millions, he managed to remove only about 350,000 people annually during his first term, amid substantial logistical barriers.
Living with her cousin in California, near San Francisco, Bérrios worked at an auto repair shop alongside Trump supporters. Following his election, she observed an increase in anti-immigrant sentiments from her coworkers, which only heightened her discomfort. Reflecting on her past experiences in Nicaragua, where she faced persecution under President Daniel Ortega, Bérrios recalled, “I spent five years hiding… I had to completely change my life.” With Trump’s ascension to power, that cloud of uncertainty returned to her life.
This kind of worry is common among individuals without permanent legal status, according to Melanie Nezer, vice president of advocacy and external relations at the Women’s Refugee Commission. Many individuals under temporary protective status or those granted humanitarian parole, like Bérrios, are increasingly anxious as they fear their legal permissions may end abruptly. Currently, roughly 1 million people hold temporary protected status, with another 500,000, including Bérrios, receiving humanitarian parole from countries like Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Trump has publicly stated his intentions to terminate both measures.
Before her departure to the U.S., Bérrios led an ordinary life in Nicaragua, working in a call center and pursuing her studies in marketing. However, a controversial change in the nation’s social security system sparked protests, leading to violent clashes between authorities and demonstrators. Students, including Bérrios, rose to defend their elders, which ultimately resulted in significant unrest against the government. As a prominent protest leader, she faced imminent danger from authorities, who labeled dissenters as “terrorists.”
With a cousin in California willing to sponsor her, Bérrios arrived in the U.S. under Biden’s reformed immigration policies. However, as the election heated up, she grew increasingly anxious about the prospect of mass deportations. Realizing returning to Nicaragua was not feasible, Bérrios chose to relocate to Ireland, where she had established connections through the student movement.
Bérrios viewed Ireland as a promising opportunity, particularly since the asylum systems across the European Union offer a more standardized and expedited process than in the U.S. Through a successful entry into the Irish immigration system, she secured humanitarian protection. Bérrios was warmly welcomed at Dublin’s airport, where she properly answered questions posed by immigration officials and subsequently received identification from the government. Now residing in temporary accommodation with individuals from various countries, she looks planned to further her education while awaiting her work permit.
A potential resolution regarding her asylum status could emerge in roughly eight months, and if all goes according to plan, she could secure permanent residency within a year. Bérrios expressed optimism about her journey, greedy for the future despite the backdrop of her complicated past. “You make sacrifices and always hope that things will turn out like you think, maybe not exactly, but pretty close,” she pondered with newfound hope.
