Their long and furry friendship is coming to an end. All because of the crisis at our southern border.
A migrant who befriended a squirrel in his native Venezuela and nearly stepped on it as a baby is expected to have to part ways with his bushy-tailed friend to seek asylum in the United States.
The man, known only as Yesung, named the squirrel Nico.
The two remained inseparable, including during the perilous journey from Venezuela to the U.S. border. During the trip, Nico rides in Yesung’s backpack.
“I don’t want him to leave me because I know we’re heartbroken. I’m sure of that,” Yesung, 23, said. “And if he doesn’t get sick, I hope he’s happy. And he never forgets my face.”
But that separation seems increasingly likely. On Saturday, Yesung secured a much-needed promise to report to the border and formally apply for asylum. Animals are generally prohibited from passing through.
“Without Nico, we’re effectively starting from nothing,” Yesung lamented.
However, all hope is not lost for Yesung and Nico. A local non-governmental organization, Ayudandrus Triunphal, said it was working with veterinarians to make sure Nico had received all the necessary vaccines.
“There was a connection between him and Rhys, to the point that he chose to take Rhys with him rather than leave Rhys with his family in Venezuela and face the dangers that come with the migrant journey. They have a relationship with each other. We gave courage to each other,” said Ayudandrus A. Triumpur coach Gladys Cañas.
During President Biden’s term, migrant arrivals at the U.S. border have surged to record numbers. Since 2021, he has entered an astonishing 3.8 million people indoors.
with post wire
