One Man Recounts His Journey From Ecuador To The East End - 27 East

One Man Recounts His Journey From Ecuador To The East End

icon 3 Photos
August 28 -- John came to the United States riding atop three car tire inner tubes with six compatriots pushing him, swimming as hard as they could against the current of the Rio Grande. On the other side waited a “coyote” with a safe house to hide in until they could make a dash past border guards. It was a hot and sunny day in Laredo, Texas, when John first set foot on American soil in 2007. Within 72 hours, he was in a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Houston, one specifically designed for housing young children who had been caught entering the United States illegally from South American and Central American countries and were awaiting deportation. The flood of so-called “border kids,” who now stream toward the border by the tens of thousands and have sparked political wrangling, had yet to begin in those days: unaccompanied kids like John were still a small slice of the border-hopping population. John, now 22, says that life in that Houston detention center was comfortable and generally pleasant. Today, he is a legal resident of the United States, living in Southampton with an uncle. His parents, who lived in the United States for nearly 20 years, have returned to Ecuador. John has asked that his real name not be used for fear of harassment over the way in which he made his way to America. But while John’s ultimate fate was somewhat different from those of immigrants who spend months in detention awaiting deportation hearings, his tale paints a telling portrait of the harrowing journey that many of today’s young immigrants endure to come to the United States.

August 28 -- John came to the United States riding atop three car tire inner tubes with six compatriots pushing him, swimming as hard as they could against the current of the Rio Grande. On the other side waited a “coyote” with a safe house to hide in until they could make a dash past border guards. It was a hot and sunny day in Laredo, Texas, when John first set foot on American soil in 2007. Within 72 hours, he was in a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Houston, one specifically designed for housing young children who had been caught entering the United States illegally from South American and Central American countries and were awaiting deportation. The flood of so-called “border kids,” who now stream toward the border by the tens of thousands and have sparked political wrangling, had yet to begin in those days: unaccompanied kids like John were still a small slice of the border-hopping population. John, now 22, says that life in that Houston detention center was comfortable and generally pleasant. Today, he is a legal resident of the United States, living in Southampton with an uncle. His parents, who lived in the United States for nearly 20 years, have returned to Ecuador. John has asked that his real name not be used for fear of harassment over the way in which he made his way to America. But while John’s ultimate fate was somewhat different from those of immigrants who spend months in detention awaiting deportation hearings, his tale paints a telling portrait of the harrowing journey that many of today’s young immigrants endure to come to the United States.

Johnny shows his journey on a map on his cell phone. KYRIL BROMLEY

Johnny shows his journey on a map on his cell phone. KYRIL BROMLEY

author on Aug 26, 2014
John came to the United States riding atop three car tire inner tubes with six compatriots pushing him, swimming as hard as they could against the current of the Rio... more

You May Also Like:

Korey Williams, Longtime Teacher and Lifetime Westhampton Beach Hurricane, Retires After 32 Years

Some teachers spend their entire career at one school. For a select few, they spend ... 9 Jul 2025 by Dan Stark

Let's Make a Deal

Since his swearing-in in January 2023, U.S. Representative Nick LaLota hasn’t faced a series of votes that rivaled the recent domestic spending package, which he played a significant role in pushing through Congress and onto President Donald Trump’s desk. It gave him a notable win: He proudly says he delivered on his promise to 1st District voters that he would get a reprieve on the federal government’s cap on the state and local tax deduction, or SALT. Ultimately, that’s true, with an asterisk. But it’s fair for voters to ask: At what price? Did a single-minded focus on this goal ... by Editorial Board

Stony Brook Medicine, UnitedHealthcare Reach New 3-Year Deal To Maintain Coverage

Stony Brook Medicine and UnitedHealthcare have inked a new three-year contract that will maintain coverage of visits to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital and Meetinghouse Lane Medical physicians for those with UnitedHealthcare or Oxford insurance plans. The agreement was announced just a day before the expiration of a temporary extension of the previous agreements announced in June, when the state’s largest insurer began notifying its customers that Stony Brook’s hospitals and doctors would be out of network coverage soon. “There will be no interruption in coverage for any of our United/Oxford patients,” Stony Brook announced in a statement this week. “We ... by Michael Wright

GOP-Backed Candidates Knock Democrats Off Working Families Party Line in Primary Shake-Up

Absentee ballots that came in after last month’s primary voting bumped Democratic Party candidate Tom Neely from the Working Families Party line for the November ballot. Even though Neely had a one-vote lead after ballots from early voting and the June 17 primary day were tallied, 11 additional absentee ballots, which all went to challengers Ieshia Galicia and Andrew Smith, put the two first-time political candidates over the top for the tiny party’s line with 23 and 21 votes, respectively. A Working Families Party challenger to the Working Families Party’s official endorsement for town clerk, Mark Bernardo, had trailed his ... by Michael Wright

PSEG 'Storm Hardening' Power Lines in East Quogue This Summer

Crews from PSEG-Long Island will be conducting “storm-hardening” work on electrical transmission lines and circuits in East Quogue throughout the remainder of the summer as part of the company’s Power On initiative to improve reliability and resiliency in the face of severe storms. Crews will be replacing and upgrading mainline circuits along Spinney Road between Lewis Road and Serenity Place, along Lewis Road between Old Country Road and Quogue-Riverhead Road and on Damascus Road. The work is expected to take about two months to complete, PSEG said. “PSEG Long Island is committed to strengthening the electric infrastructure and improving reliability ... by Staff Writer

Southampton Adopts Hampton Bays Rezoning That Kills Cannabis Biz

The Southampton Town Board unanimously approved a sweeping rezoning of a swath of Montauk Highway ... by Michael Wright

Former Trustee Robin Brown Alleges Discrimination, Defamation, Files Complaint Against Southampton Village Ethics Board

Former Southampton Village Board member Robin Brown — who lost her seat on the board ... by Cailin Riley

Southampton Eyes Protections for, and From, Growing Trees

Southampton Town is in the midst of crafting two new codes that would regulate the ... by Michael Wright

Southampton Village Board Makes Appointments at Organizational Meeting

At the annual organizational meeting of the Southampton Village Board, held shortly after the swearing-in ... by Cailin Riley

HCBL Stars Set to Battle ACBL’s Finest in Sag Harbor Showdown

The Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League will play its 12th All-Star Game this Saturday, July 12, ... by Drew Budd