Mexican Parents Reunite With Son After He Illegally Crossed The US Border 24 Years Earlier

Story By: Juan Mayes, Sub-Editor: Joana Mihajlovska, Agency:  Newsflash

A Mexican man who worked illegally in the US for over a decade and then ended up homeless on the streets in Mexico after US immigration officials kicked him out of the country has been reunited with his family after 24 years.

Roberto Carlos Salas, 37, had hoped for a better future when he managed to get across the border into the United States with his father Roberto Salas Juarez.

The 37-year-old’s mum, Esperanza Martinez, spoke with the local press after her long-awaited reunion with her son and said the family’s nightmare began when he had set off with his dad and the pair had sought work in Chicago after managing to cross the border.

Newsflash

Roberto later ended up separated from his father and apparently went seeking his fortune in Colorado but because of the difficulties in keeping in touch with his family, as an illegal immigrant, they say they did not hear from him again until now.

Because he was there illegally, Roberto was unable to head back to Mexico to visit his family because it would have meant he could not go back to the US.

Eventually, after 14 years he was caught, and taken back over the border into Mexico where he suffered a breakdown and ended up on the streets for a decade.

His family had no idea what had happened to him until he was placed in the San Pedro shelter located in the municipality of Altamira in the state of Tamaulipas.

Newsflash

An iris and biometric check revealed his real identity and allowed staff to contact his family from the city of Calvillo located in the state of Aguascalientes.

The testing was carried out by the Mexican National System for Integral Family Development (DIF) which paid for the testing and also for the parents to be brought up to collect their son and take him home.

The DIF’s focus is on the welfare of Mexican families. It was set up in the 70s by Mexican First Lady Carmen Romano, the wife of the then President Jose Lopez Portillo.

He has now been reunited with his mother and father who said that although it was clear their son was suffering mental problems, now that he was with them and in the love of his family, they intend to make sure he was given all the care he needs in the hope of helping him recover.

Newsflash

The touching images show the mother and father embrace their long-lost son who is also hugged by one of his brothers who also went to go welcome him back home.

The distraught dad who said it was the best Christmas present ever added that his son had simply vanished while they were together in the United States, and he had been tortured by wanting to know that he was alive ever since.

The ViralTab page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.