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Families Divided

Gallery: This Guatemalan family hasn't seen their 8-year-old in months

A collection of photos by Carlos Sebastián for Nómada and Michael Stravato for the Tribune shows David Xol and Florinda Bol in Guatemala and the Texas facility where their son has been held since late May.

By John Jordan, Carlos Sebastián and Michael Stravato
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Florinda Bol holds a picture of her son Byron. Byron is in a shelter in Baytown, a thousand miles away, where he’s been for months.
Florinda Bol holds a picture of her son Byron, who is in a shelter in Baytown, a thousand miles from their Guatemalan village. Credit: Carlos Sebastián/Nómada

Families Divided

The Trump administration's “zero tolerance” immigration policy, which led to the separation of children from adults who crossed the border illegally, has fueled a national outcry. Sign up for our ongoing coverage. Send story ideas to tips@texastribune.org.

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Last May, David Xol, a farmworker from the town of San Miguel Limón in the highlands of Guatemala, made his way with his 7-year-old son Byron across Mexico to the Texas border during the height of the Trump Administration's zero-tolerance policy toward undocumented immigrants. They were apprehended by Border Patrol officers and later that month, David Xol was deported back to Guatemala. His son was sent to a shelter in Baytown, where he's been ever since.

Byron turned 8 in June. Read the full story here.

Florinda Bol holds a picture of her husband, David, and her son Byron. Byron is in a shelter in Baytown, a thousand miles away, where he’s been for months.
Florinda Bol holds a picture of her husband, David, and her son Byron. Credit: Carlos Sebastián/Nómada
David Xol, his wife Florinda Bol and two of their sons at their home in San Miguel Limón. Xol made his way across Mexico with his third son, 7-year-old Byron. Xol was deported back to Guatemala; Byron remains in a shelter in Baytown.
David Xol, his wife Florinda Bol and their two other sons at their home in San Miguel Limón. Credit: Carlos Sebastián/Nómada
The Xol and Bol home in San Miguel Limón, in the Guatemalan state of Alta Verapaz, where David Xol works on a plantation cutting African palm from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. six days a week.
This is the home of the Xol Bol family in San Miguel Limón. Credit: Carlos Sebastián/Nómada
Byron’s mother, Florinda Bol, cooks at her home in San Miguel Limón, where she lives with her husband David and two of her three sons. Her third, Byron, is in a shelter in Baytown, a thousand miles away.
Florinda prepares a meal as her young son looks on. Credit: Carlos Sebastián/Nómada
Byron Xol’s school in San Miguel Limón. Byron is currently in a shelter in Baytown, where he turned 8 on June 24.
Byron's school in San Miguel Limón. Credit: Carlos Sebastián/Nómada
Byron Xol’s school in San Miguel Limón. Byron is currently in a shelter in Baytown, where he turned 8 on June 24.
Byron's classroom. Credit: Carlos Sebastián/Nómada
Carlos Pop, Byron’s first-grade teacher in San Miguel Limón, shows his class roster. "In my class, I have 19 students,” said Pop. “Today only 18 were present. There is one that is in the U.S., they say.”
Credit: Carlos Sebastián/Nómada
Carlos Pop, Byron’s first-grade teacher in San Miguel Limón, shows his class roster. "In my class, I have 19 students,” said Pop. “Today only 18 were present. There is one that is in the U.S., they say.”
Byron's name on the attendance sheet. Credit: Carlos Sebastián/Nómada
301 Ilfrey St., Baytown, Texas, a BCFS facility for immigrant minors, seen Sunday Aug 12, 2018.
Byron is in this BCFS shelter in Baytown, near Houston. Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune
The Xol and Bol family talks to Byron on the phone. Byron, now 8, is in a shelter in Baytown, a thousand miles away from San Miguel Limón.
The family talks to Byron on the phone. They receive weekly calls from their son. Credit: Carlos Sebastián/Nómada
The Xol and Bol family talks to Byron on the phone. Byron, now 8, is in a shelter in Baytown, a thousand miles away from San Miguel Limón.
Byron's brother talks to him on the phone. Credit: Carlos Sebastián/Nómada
David Xol, an indigenous farmworker from Guatemala, made his way across Mexico with his his 7-year-old son, Byron. Xol was deported back to Guatemala; Byron remains in a shelter in Baytown.
"My son has started to hate me," Xol said. "He said, 'Why did you leave me? Am I not your son?' I told him not to say that." Credit: Carlos Sebastián/Nómada
The Xol and Bol home in San Miguel Limón, in the Guatemalan state of Alta Verapaz, where David Xol works on a plantation cutting African palm from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. six days a week.
The Xol Bol home at night. Credit: Carlos Sebastián/Nómada

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Information about the authors

John Jordan’s staff photo

John Jordan

Deputy Director of Photography

jjordan@texastribune.org

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