"The hope is minimal:" Local woman speaks out after family separated at the border

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MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Some Milwaukee families are feeling the impact of the separation policy.

A father and son wanting to escape the violence in Guatemala came to America to be with their family in Milwaukee. The Executive Order doesn't specifically say they'll be reunited and their relatives are losing hope.

"Each other don't know where each other is. They haven't been in contact. A son and father," Ondina Andino, who has relatives separated in detention facilities, said.

Jose Cornejo, her husband's brother, and Willy Cornejo, Jose's 16-year-old son, have been detained in Arizona since May.

Ondina says phone calls are occasionally permitted with just her nephew.

"The first time when he called us, the first thing he said was 'Get me out of here'," Ondina said.

She says not knowing what will become of Jose and Willy is the worst part, making it difficult to focus at work every day.

"It feels so bad. It's not just happening just to me. It's happening to thousands and thousands of families," Ondina said.

President Trump's executive order Wednesday said the administration will 'maintain family unity including by detaining alien families together where appropriate and consistent with law and available resources.'

"We're keeping families together but we have to keep our borders strong. We will be overrun with crime and with people that should not be in our country," said President Donald Trump.

"We can enforce our immigration laws without breaking families apart," said Speaker of the House Paul Ryan.

Ondina says she'll believe it when she sees it.

"We don't know what's going to happen because Donald Trump is doing this, the hope is minimal," Ondina said.

Ondina told CBS 58 News that Jose and Willy knew the risks of coming to America but said the danger in Guatemala was worse.


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