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1)      Two days later, I was sent, together with other 5 guys, to Houston. Texas, on a plane. There we were put in a more spacious detention house administered by Catholic charities and U.S. Immigration. I stayed there for almost one year. The Catholic charities explained to me that the detention centre’s purpose was to give children good care they have never had in their countries of origin, but only until the U.S. government sent them back. The government didn’t want any illegal minor migrants to become legal and stay in the U.S.

2)      The first time I went to court, I explained to the judge why I had fled my family and my country. I told the judge about the violence I had experienced in my family, which was the main reason I had escaped my country. I never told them that I was gay. I did not know it would help my claim, and I was used to hiding it instinctively – especially from authority figures.

3)      When I was taken back to the detention house in Houston, a member of Catholic charities’ staff explained to me that even if they wanted to help me, they could not. They are supposed to follow governmental authorities’ directions. He said that even if I claimed refugee status, I would be sent back by U.S. Immigration.

4)      The following day, an Immigration officer went to the detention centre and we spoke about my case. I explained that I had requested a form to apply for refugee status because of the domestic violence I had gone through in my family. The officer explained to me that even if I filed a refugee claim before the judge, and even if I pursued my claim, he would personally make sure that I was sent back to Nicaragua.

5)      I always asked Catholic charities that I wanted a lawyer and that I had a right to get legal counsel by a lawyer. Catholic charities told me they would get me a lawyer. But after waiting for a long time, I was told by Catholic charities that they had asked around but no lawyer wanted to take on my case. I had filled my form to apply for refugee status and gave it to Catholic charities, but I don’t know if they sent it to the judge or if they just kept it. I felt I didn’t have any support from Catholic charities, and didn’t have any support from U.S. Immigration.

6)      In the Catholic house, several times I met with a psychologist who worked for the Catholic Church. She was the only one I told I was gay, she was the only person I was comfortable sharing this with. I explained that I was still afraid of coming out as gay, since I was in a dependant  relationship with the Catholic charities, on which I relied for shelter and food, and help with my refugee claim. I did not want to offend them. The psychologist agreed that I should not tell the Catholic charities.

7)      All in all, I went to court 7 times and every time I asked to be given more time. Before I went to court for the 7th time, I was advised by Catholic charities and by U.S. Immigration to declare that I wanted to return voluntarily to my country. I didn’t want to return, but I was told that if I didn’t sign declaring I wanted to return voluntarily, the Immigration officer would make sure that I was sent back to my country.

8)      On the seventh time I went to court, the judge told me that if I failed to leave the country voluntarily, I would have to pay money for every day I stayed in the country illegally. If I didn’t have the money, I would pay by doing time in prison.  Confused and afraid, I signed against my will. Thus my legal efforts ended without ever having been provided with legal counsel, despite my repeated requests.

9)      The only way out of such a difficult situation was to escape the detention house. I could not go back to Nicaragua. I escaped with two other guys who lived in the detention house. They were from Honduras and were in a similar situation. We walked to a Spanish Christian church and asked for their help.

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