Like thousands of other migrants, José and his family entered the U.S. under the Biden administration’s rules in 2024.

They fled Venezuela fearing violence because of the country’s political and economic turmoil.

With Trump in office, they were locked up in a Texas detention center that has faced persistent accusations by advocacy groups of “inhumane conditions, routine mistreatment, and due process violations.” Ultimately, the family decided to abandon the asylum process.

Tap the link in our bio to read more. Photos by @paulratje for The Texas Tribune.