As soon as Ana* emerged from her most recent immigration court appearance, a team of volunteers from the New Sanctuary Coalition surrounded her. It was a Thursday afternoon in March, and the group of volunteers had traveled from neighborhoods throughout New York City early that morning to hover in the courthouse waiting room and offer encouragement.
* Editor's note: The name of each young person mentioned in this story has been changed to protect his or her identity.
“How are you feeling?” someone asked cheerfully.
Ana’s boyfriend, Rodrigo, put his hand on her chest to feel her racing heartbeat.