After two failed attempts and weeks in U.S. detention, an El Salvadoran mother and her daughters are finally allowed to seek asylum in Canada.
As the morning sun broke over the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls, Aracely Serrano took her third—and most critical—walk across the U.S.–Canada border. With her daughters Madelin, 14, and Itzayana, 4, by her side, she stepped forward with hope and exhaustion in equal measure.
“We don’t have to live with this fear anymore,” Serrano said, carrying the weight of her family’s months-long ordeal.
From El Salvador to Detention Cells in the U.S.
Originally undocumented residents of New Jersey, the Serrano family fled to Canada in March to escape fear and instability amid heightened immigration crackdowns in the U.S. They attempted to claim asylum under an exception to the Safe Third Country Agreement, citing a Canadian citizen brother as their anchor.
However, Canadian border officials doubted the legitimacy of the documents presented. The family was denied entry and sent back to the U.S., where they were confined in a windowless holding cell for two weeks, despite such cells being designed for stays under 72 hours.
Itzayana, just four years old, often woke up crying from nightmares.
Legal Support and a Third Attempt to Cross
While detained, Serrano’s brother Israel contacted the Canada-U.S. Border Rights Clinic, eventually connecting with Ottawa-based immigration lawyer Heather Neufeld. Neufeld challenged the CBSA’s rejection in Federal Court.
Last week, the tides turned. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada agreed to allow Serrano and her daughters to re-enter and make their asylum claim. “I think finally the government has recognized they made mistakes,” Neufeld stated.
A Long Day at the Border—and a New Beginning
On their third attempt, the family faced yet another round of questioning at the Canadian port of entry. Tension mounted as hours passed. “There was a lot of scrutiny,” Neufeld recalled.
Finally, at 3 p.m., nearly six hours after entering the customs building, Serrano and her daughters were granted permission to stay and file their claim. By 9 p.m., they emerged into the cool Niagara night—and into the arms of their waiting family.
“When they said ‘Welcome to Canada and good luck with your new life,’ I felt immense joy,” Serrano said through tears. “My daughters gave me strength.”
A Family Still Divided, But Not Without Hope
Serrano’s common-law husband, Marcos Guardado, was not as fortunate. While she and her daughters were released on April 1, Guardado remains in a U.S. immigration detention centre in Batavia, N.Y., pending a deportation hearing in June.
Neufeld is now working to secure his release on bond in hopes he can reunite with his family and join them in Canada’s asylum process.
From detention to determination, the Serrano family’s journey is far from over—but for now, they’ve found refuge. Stay tuned to Maple News Wire for the latest updates on immigration and human rights stories across North America.
