The Crossing: Voices from The Lighthouse

From Detention to Determination: Jose's Unbreakable Will

• The Lighthouse • Season 1 • Episode 2

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Few stories capture the brutal reality of seeking asylum in America like Jose's journey. Fleeing violence in Honduras at just 19 years old, he arrived at the U.S. border in October 2015 with hopes of safety and reuniting with family in Miami. Instead, he entered a labyrinthine detention system that would consume 18 months of his life.

The most shocking aspect of Jose's experience wasn't just the physical hardship – though being handcuffed at wrists and ankles, transferred between facilities without explanation, and housed in crowded rooms with zero privacy certainly qualifies as cruel treatment. What truly stands out is the profound isolation and information vacuum that defined his detention. For six months, no official explained his situation or options. He received no visitors, had no legal representation, and couldn't afford to call home. When he finally earned enough from his $1-per-day kitchen job to make a call, he could only afford one minute—just enough time to reassure his mother he was okay while hiding his true suffering.

The economic exploitation within detention centers emerges clearly from Jose's account. Beyond the essentially unpaid labor, he faced a $20,000 bond—four times what others typically received—and upon release, a $420 monthly fee to rent an ankle monitor, with the threat of re-detention if he failed to pay. How does someone who's been restricted to earning $7 weekly suddenly afford such costs? The system seems deliberately designed to break spirits and force returns to dangerous situations.

Yet Jose persevered. With help from a pro bono lawyer and LGBTQ advocates, he secured his release and found community at The Lighthouse, where he stayed for 18 months while rebuilding his life. Today, though his asylum case is approved, he faces the cruel requirement of returning to Honduras—where his mother was later killed—to complete his green card process. Despite this ongoing struggle, Jose now supports others at the Lighthouse, bringing them clothing, food, and understanding born from shared experience.


Please consider supporting The Lighthouse, a haven to those navigating our broken immigration system. We strive to ensure that those seeking safety never have to navigate their darkest moments alone.

For more information, please visit lighthousenj.org.

Welcome to The Crossing: Voices from The Lighthouse. I’m Jill Singleton, Director of the Lighthouse. Today, we have a deeply moving and powerful conversation to share with you.

Our guest is Jose, a longtime friend of The Lighthouse and someone whose journey reflects both the hardships and the resilience of so many seeking safety and stability in the United States. Jose arrived in this country, fleeing danger in his home country, only to face a long and painful process of detention, uncertainty, and struggle. 

But through it all, Jose never gave up. His determination to build a new life—despite the barriers placed before him—is a testament to his incredible strength. 

This is a conversation about courage, survival, and the power of community. It’s about the realities of immigration that often go unseen. And it’s about the hope that, despite everything, continues to shine through.

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Jill
Good morning, Jose. How are you today? I haven't sen you in a long time.

Jose
Good morning, Jill. Good morning, your friend. How have you been?

Jill
Very well. Thank you. I missed you. And I thank you for making this time to talk with us today.

Jose
Thank you. I miss you too.

Jill
The first question I have is, when did you come to the United States? What year?

Jose
I came to the United States in 2015, October, I believe October, 2015.

Jill
And how old were you at that time, Jose?

Jose
I was like 19 years old.

Jill
19, so very, very young, right?

I know that you ultimately, you were in detention, and we're going to talk about that, but what happened when you arrived in the United States?

Jose
All right. So when I crossed the border, immigration caught me. Okay. So they put me in the station in Texas for about 11 days, I believe. And then somebody told me they're going to deport me back to my country. Somebody told me, okay, if you don't want to go back, you have to apply for asylum. I told my officer I don't want to go back. I have problems in my country. And then I signed a paper for asylum. That's how I got to, they sent me to New Jersey.

Jill
Okay. Do you know why they sent you to New Jersey? Why New Jersey?

Jose
I'm not sure about that, but my plan was to go to Miami.

Jill
And did you know people in Miami? Is that why you wanted to go to Miami?

Jose
Yeah, so I have family in Miami, but I don't have a communication with them because I was in detention. I don't have money. I don't have support for nobody.

Jill
Tell me, when you arrived at New Jersey, in a new detention center, so you were 11 days in Texas. Tell me how it felt to arrive there in New Jersey.

Jose
Okay, so when they're going to move the people, they do it in the morning, 3 a.m. in the morning. They not tell me, "Oh, you're going to go to another state." No, they not tell me where I got to go. I was afraid because I think they're going to deport me back.

Jill
You didn't know.

Jose
I didn't know, yeah. So they put us in the bus for about three hours. And then we go to the airport. I was very afraid because they did not tell me where they were taking me.

Jill
You must have been terrified.

Jose
Yeah.

Jill
How did they move you? Did they put people in handcuffs? Yeah.

Jose
So you were handcuffed? Yeah.

Jill
In the hands and in the feet, you were handcuffed.

Jose
Yeah.

Jill
And then you went on the plane and you still didn't know where you were going.

Jose
Yeah. Yeah.

Jill
And then what happened?

Jose
And then we arrived to Newark, New Jersey. And then they put me in detention. At that time, I was in Delaney Hall. But before Delaney Hall, we went to the jail, close to Delaney Hall.

Jill
When did somebody explain to you, "Listen, you are going to another detention center?"

Jose
They explained to me when I was in Delaney. When I have six months in Delaney, I meet more people. I feel more comfortable because there are more people who speak Spanish. I see like every day they move people. That's how I understand. One day they're going to move me to another detention.

Jill
At no point did an official person sit down with you and say, "Jose, let me explain to you what's going to happen to you."

Jose
No, they did not do that.

Jill
So you just kind of watched and saw, okay, some people are coming, some people are going. I guess that's going to happen to me, too. For six months.

Jose
Yeah, for six months. So in all that time, I don't have lawyers. So that's why nobody explained me what's going on. Nobody helped me because I don't have nobody in New Jersey.

Jill
So that was six months in Delaney Hall. And then what happened after that?

Jose
After that six months, they moved me to Elizabeth Detention Center. That one was terrible. It was one big room for 40, 45 people to gather.

Jill
Okay.

Jose
No privacy for use the bathroom, for go to use the toilet.

Jill
No privacy. You're just in, when you have to use the toilet, you are doing that in front of—

Jose
In front of other people. Yeah. Yep.

Jill
Now, Jose, I know you very well, and I think it's fair to say you are a shy person. You are a gentle person.

Jose
Yeah, because I was afraid.

Jill
Tell me about that. How did you survive that?

Jose
Okay, so all the time I was in my bed, laying in my bed, because I don't want to expect nobody, because my situation, everybody released. So that was terrible for me. I was only in my bed. I don't want to talk with nobody because the situation is so sad.

Jill
Yeah. So you saw people that you knew, met in detention and were getting released. Yeah. While you are being left behind.

Jose
Yeah.

Jill
Because you did not have a lawyer. You did not have a lawyer to help you.

Jose
I don't have nobody to visit me. I was in depression. I don't have a communication with my family because at that time I don't have money. I was working in the kitchen for $1 to get $7 a week to call my mom.

Jill
So stop right there for a minute. So you worked every day in the kitchen. And you got paid $1.

Jose
$1 per day.

Jill
And with that money, you got $7 in a week.

Jose
Yeah.

Jill
That was enough for you to make a phone call to your mom?

Jose
It was not enough. I had to wait two weeks to get $14. So sometimes I call my mom for one minute just to say, "Hey, how are you? How are you being? I am okay. Don't worry about me." Because I don't want to worry her.

Jill
So every two weeks you could make enough money to make a one-minute phone call to your mom.

Jose
So the food is terrible. The food was so bad. That's why I work every day to accumulate like $14, $21 to get a commissary.

Jill
What could you buy and how much did it cost?

Jose
Exactly I can't remember, but what I buy soup, lotion, soda. In detention, they do not give us soda. Sometimes you buy beans. Sometimes you buy medication like for headache. Something like that.

Jill
I remember when I was visiting guests in detention, they told me it was very cold.
They didn't have enough clothing. And this one man told me to buy one long sleeve T-shirt, it cost $35.

Jose
Yeah, because here in New Jersey it's cold. And we have only one blanket. It's not enough for heating us.

Jill
Did you go outside when it was nice out?

Jose
Sometimes to play volleyball because sometimes I'm depressed. I don't want to be in my bed because I can't anymore to help.

Jill
Now, let's talk about how you were able to finally get released. In total, how many months were you from the day you went into detention in Texas until the day you got out of detention in New Jersey? How long were you in detention total?

Jose
All right. In total, it was 18 months.

Jill
18 months.

Jose
18 months. Yes. I was crazy at that time because I don't want to go back for my situation. Every day I was crying because I went to think for my mom, for my family. I went to get medication for my depression. And they say, "Oh, no, you don't have depression. What you want is to get out."

Jill
And then I believe, if I remember correctly, you got help to get out from Catholic Charities.

Jose
My lawyer, when I was in Elizabeth, I got a pro bono lawyer. He helped me for a little bit.

Jill
Okay. Was it the pro bono lawyer who helped you get in touch with Catholic Charities?

Jose
Yeah. So for my pro bono lawyer, I met the LGBTQ organization to help me. And they visited me at that time. They helped me to get the money to get out.

Jill
It was a $20,000 bond.

Jose
Yeah. I was like, "What? Why you give me $20,000 when you give to the rest of the people $5,000 to get out? Why you give me the high bond for me?"

Jill
And my understanding was, and I remember very clearly, who had to wear this monitoring bracelet on your ankle.

Jose
Exactly.

Jill
And not only did you have to wear that bracelet, but you had to rent the monitor. How much did you have to pay for that monitor on your ankle?

Jose
Monthly, I had to pay $420.

Jill
And if you didn't pay the rent on the monitor, the $420, what would happen to you?

Jose
Okay, if I don't pay that, they're going to come because they have my address and they're going to take me back to the detention. The good thing was when I released, I don't have where to go. I remember I had one friend, he got released before me and he gave me his phone number. And he told me, when you got released, please call me. I'm going to pick you up. And that time I remember he took me to his house. And the next day, he takes me to The Lighthouse.

Jill
You were one of our very first guests at The Lighthouse, right?

Jose
Thank you so much. Our first five guests. Yeah, I'm so good. I'm so happy.

Jill
And I will never forget the day that we met.

Jose
I'm never going to forget.

Jill
I'm never going to forget.

Jose
I'm very grateful for that.

Jill
Yeah, me too. And when you came in, you were so shy. Tell me, how did you feel when you walked into the lighthouse? Because now it's another new place. You didn't know what to expect. How did you feel at that moment?

Jose
So at that moment, I was excited. I was, oh, my God, finally I am free. I can't believe at that time because, you know, 18 months in detentions. I can't explain. I'm grateful, very grateful with you guys. And thanks God for that moment. Yeah. To meet you guys.

Jill
Thank God for the moment, right? Yeah. Yeah. And you have worked so hard, Jose. And you spent, I think, almost 18 months at The Lighthouse with us, right?

Jose
Yeah, yeah.

Jill
And today you are supporting guests at The Lighthouse.

Jose
I remember, I'm not going to forget the time. I know how people feel. I know you feel happy when you find a place because I know a lot of people doesn't have the opportunity. I'm so happy to help guests, to visit guests in the New Lighthouse because I remember that time. I'm never going to forget.

Jill
And you have brought them clothing.

Jose
Yes.

Jill
And food.

Jose
And food.

Jill
And you even took a family to the beach.

Jose
Yeah, I helped a family because somebody in my time, somebody helped me. I want to give back to another people that time to be happy to that time.

Jill
That is just a beautiful thing.

Jose
And thank all the people support The Lighthouse. It's very important because I know how I felt that time when I don't have clothes, when I don't have phone, when I don't have nothing. The Lighthouse support me. I'm very grateful for that time. And I hope another people support The Lighthouse for another person to come to The Lighthouse like me when they don't have nothing to eat, nothing to close, whatever, etc.

Jill
It's very important. Yes. Thank you so much. And tell us, Jose, how are you doing today? Tell us, what is your immigration status today? It's eight years later. Your case is still not closed.

Jose
Yeah. So today my case is approved, but I still not finished with my case. I had to fill out an application for waiver to get my green card and go back to my country and then to get my green card in the USA.

Jill
How do you feel about that?

Jose
I don't want to go back to my country. So you know my situation, what happened in my country. I don't want to go back. I feel so sad. I'm not going to go. I don't want to go back, but I don't have choice.

Jill
So this is a requirement to finalize everything with your case. You must go back to Honduras. You must be interviewed there. Then if approved there, then you will come back.

Jose
Yeah, exactly.

Jill
So if everything goes well, you will have worked on this for 11 years.

Jose
11 years. Yeah, exactly. 

Jill
Wow. And is this something that you think about every day? Or are you able to kind of live your life and go to work and maybe not think about it all the time?

Jose
So with this President we have right now, so anything can happen. I see in the news that the other day, he detained people with green card. That's crazy. I don't want to, you know. So I want, sometimes I want to think about that because I know I don't have my green card. I guess I got work permit. It's terrible, the situation.

Jill
What has been the most helpful thing to you? What helped you to get to where you are today? What gave you the strength? What gave you the ability to keep struggling for your asylum and to not give up? What helps you?

Jose
Okay. It's sad my situation because when I was in detention, I was thinking about my mom. So because my mom, I don't want to go back because, you know, the situation in my country. So I was thinking I can go back because I want to give a better life to my mom. At this time, you know what happened with my mom.

Jill
Yes, and our listeners don't know what happened to your mom, but your mom was killed because of the violence in Honduras. And I know it was very difficult for you to not be able to go to her wake, to her funeral. I remember you were watching it on WhatsApp.

Jose
Yeah. It's terrible. I can't explain how bad I feel at that time. So... one day I'm going to be with her.

Jill
Yes. Yes. And I think that you are surrounded by people who love you. Right? Our listeners don't know either that you are now married and have a family, right?

Jose
Yeah. yeah.

Jill
And I'm sure that's a big help, but it doesn't—

Jose
Yeah, that's a big help because when I got out, I don't know. I don't. I meet you. I meet a lot of other friends, but I don't have my, like, somebody close to me. I got married. I met my husband.

Jill
Well, I cannot thank you enough, Jose, for coming on today. Although you are a shy person and a more timid person, I want you to know you are one of the bravest people that I know, and you always demonstrate great courage, even coming on today and sharing some of your story with us. And I know this is just one part of your story, which is a very difficult story. And I just pray for your continued healing.

Jose
Thank you.

Jill
And I pray that everything goes well with your case.

Jose
Thank you. Thank you.

Jill
And I know we'll be in touch because we are connected forever through our hearts and our experiences.

Jose
Thank you for help me, for helping other people, and for never give up with helping people. 

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Thanks for listening to The Crossing: Voices from The Lighthouse. We’ll be back with another episode soon. In the meantime, if this podcast resonates with you, please share it with friends, family, or anyone who might be inspired by the work of The Lighthouse.

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To learn more about The Lighthouse, please visit lighthousenj.org.