U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping deportation campaign and hardline approach to restricting immigration, particularly from Latin American countries, has caused a knock-on effect in Spain. The country is seeing an increasing number of Latinos arriving, abandoning their American dream.
Benjamin Enrique Berardinelli Manjarrez is one of them. The 33-year-old Colombian arrived in Madrid at the beginning of May, by way of Italy.
“My first idea was to go to the U.S. Like many other Latinos, I have this dream of America for a better life and to make money,” said Berardinelli Manjarrez. “In one day, you can earn enough money to pay a month’s rent in Colombia.”
“Many Colombian friends told me they want to go back. They don’t feel safe anymore and are scared of ICE [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and the police,” said Berardinelli Manjarrez, who left behind a wife and a nearly three-year-old child.
Also I’ve seen more and more in Portugal (it traditionally was mainly Brasilians, but now there are also more people from spanish speaking Latin American countries).
They’re way safer around these parts than in the US.