Lesly was at home in New Jersey on January 20, scrolling TikTok rather than tuning in to the news around Donald Trump’s inauguration, when a video about an executive order he’d signed to revoke birthright citizenship came into her feed. “I was very worried and feeling a lot of uncertainty,” she says. “Things are now up in the air.” The 31-year-old had crossed the southern border with her two young children in 2023 to escape persecution in Honduras, and she’s now pregnant with her third child.
Lesly’s own asylum application is pending in immigration court, with an appearance scheduled for several years from now. Trump’s executive order seeks to strip citizenship for children born to people who are in the U.S. with temporary or no legal status, meaning Lesly’s baby would not meet the test. She also has no intention of returning to Honduras, which further fuels her anxiety about her child’s future. But at least six lawsuits have been filed to stop the executive order, which attempts to upend the 14th Amendment — including one filed by immigration groups and joined by the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP), which features Lesly. On Thursday, a federal judge in Seattle temporarily blocked Trump’s order in a ruling on a separate case.
Lesly spoke with the Cut about her fears for her family’s safety and concerns for her baby.
Ever since I was a little girl, I have always wanted to be a mother. I’ve been married for 12 years and have two children: a 10-year-old daughter and a 4-year-old son. Being present with my family has always been important to me.
My grandparents raised my younger brother and me in a small, remote village in Honduras. I met my husband at a large Evangelical church gathering since my grandfather and his grandfather were pastors of different congregations. In 2020, my husband left for New Jersey to escape persecution. Three years later, after facing persecution, I decided to join my husband in the United States. I was hesitant at first because of the dangerous trip, but I knew staying in Honduras was no longer a safe option.
The two-month bus journey from Honduras to Mexico with two young children was terrifying. There were many families and children on our bus, and we mostly traveled at night. I constantly prayed for our safety and thank God nothing bad happened to us. I can’t say the same for others on our trip.
When we finally got to New Jersey, my husband was already renting a room in a large house. I immediately felt a sense of freedom and safety, but the security also came with many hard changes. Adjusting to life in the U.S. wasn’t easy, especially for my children. The sounds and smells were different, and the food had a different flavor than we were used to. My kids grew up in warmer weather, so it was hard for them to get used to the cold.
After six weeks, we moved in to a first-floor, three-bedroom apartment. I loved that apartment. It had a yard where the kids could play and their school was nearby. My children started to adapt to their new life and excelled in school. I found work as a cleaning lady and felt safe knowing I could go to church whenever I wanted without fear of persecution.
When my husband and I found out we were pregnant last fall, we were ecstatic to fulfill our long-held dream of having three children. I had suffered a miscarriage after my second child, so the positive test was a blessing — even if we never thought our third child would be born in the U.S. But my pregnancy has been a difficult one. I have had medical issues, including high blood pressure, and chose to quit my job to prioritize my health for my baby.
I could not escape the stress of the news and constant conversations around immigration and birthright citizenship. The anxiety only got worse when Donald Trump was elected president. I was instantly worried about what the Trump administration was going to do to my baby. Would I have to apply for asylum for my child? Would I have to get an expensive immigration attorney for my unborn baby? I was so confused about what was going to happen and whether immigration services had the authority to send my child to Honduras, where they would be in danger.
I was at home when Trump was inaugurated, trying to avoid watching TV out of care for myself and my pregnancy. Later that day, I saw a video on TikTok when he signed the executive order ending birthright citizenship. I was instantly very sad and worried.
Then came the news about the raids and immigration arrests. Even though my husband is a good man who goes to work, comes home, goes to church, and has no criminal record, we are afraid that the government could pick him up. They are not going to let anyone go. Nobody is safe.
We don’t have a plan B. Going back to Honduras is not an option for my family. All I could do was take pictures of my documents from my pending asylum case, my work permit, and all the papers for my children. I put all the physical documents in a safe place because now, you never know what could happen. We also pray a lot. We pray for the president and that God speaks to him. We pray for all the people who are affected by the executive orders, and all the people who come to this country to seek protection and try to contribute to their communities. Knowing this is all in God’s hands does give me some amount of peace.
Even though we are immigrants, we have rights too. Our children should be able to become citizens. I don’t disagree with Trump about everything, but I don’t agree with the executive order. I felt relief when the judge in Seattle also did not agree with the president and believed that the executive order was illegal.
Still, the last week has been very difficult for me and my family. Recently, I had to go to the ER and I was hospitalized for a day. I’ve been under a high level of stress because of this situation, and so the doctors were monitoring me because they thought that there was a possibility that I could be having a miscarriage. But, thankfully, that didn’t happen. I have had high blood pressure because I am so anxious all the time, and my doctors now insist I have frequent appointments.
Trump’s orders have also taken a toll on my daughter. I have had to explain to her that even though I am taking all the precautions that I’m supposed to take, she still has to prepare herself in case an immigration official ever tries to talk to her. It’s a conversation I did not want to have. She is so worried so I try to be strong for her and our family. I have not talked to my son about what is happening because he is so young and I want to protect him.
All I can hold on to now is my faith. I pray that when I give birth in July, the decision around birthright citizenship will be clear and my baby will be a U.S. citizen. My family and I want to live here, and we want to live in peace and stability. My husband and I want to live the American dream: to have better opportunities for our children, and that means educational and economic opportunities. I dream that they can go to college and prepare themselves to live the life that they want — that it’s their choice.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.