Brazilian woman disappears while trying to enter the USA illegally.
Last activity 15 February 2015 by James
Subscribe to the topic
Post new topic
Najla da Cunha Salem, a 43-year old English teacher from Volta Redonda - RJ, Brazil disappeared while trying to enter the USA illegally across the US/Mexico border.
She had previously lived illegally in the USA for six years and was deported back to Brazil in 2005. In 2011 she again tried to enter the country without authorization, but was detained at the airport and returned to Brazil.
She reportedly paid "coyotes" USD $20,000, but was being threatened if she didn't pay an additional $8,000.
The family states that she was only trying to have a better standard of living for herself and her only child, a son born in the USA and thus an American citizen. Well, sorry but that's not gonna fly with me folks, I'm sorry. If she had the ability to pay $28,000 (the equivalent of R$80 thousand) to get into the USA illegally, she obviously wasn't too badly off here in Brazil. Sorry, no sympathy here for anybody who flagrantly breaks immigration laws. With all the stories about people vanishing while trying to cross over from Mexico into the USA that abound in the news, it would be impossible to NOT know that this was a real risk she was running. When breaking the law, you get what you get... can't cry about it afterwards.
Cheers,
James Expat-blog Experts Team
Tragic. I'm a bit more sympathetic than you are, James. 
However, I agree with you in this respect: she broke the law, and she had to have known about the risks involved. And yes, if she had R$80,000 to pay to the coyotes, I suppose she wasn't exactly poor. But maybe her boyfriend in the U.S. sent her the $? Was she living apart from her American son and desperate to get back to him? I don't know the whole story. Either way, it's sad. 
Articles to help you in your expat project in Brazil
The Working Holiday Visa for BrazilIn this article, we will give you all the information you need to organize your Working Holiday Visa trip to ...
Work permits for BrazilFinding legal work in Brazil can be difficult. But it's possible if you meet certain specific qualifications and ...
Visas & Other Documents in BrazilDocuments – aside from the foregoing information you must remember that this is a police state, you are ...
General visa requirements for BrazilBrazil is a huge and diverse country just waiting to be explored. But before you book your hotel and flight, check ...
Using phones in BrazilIt's much easier these days to get a cell phone in Brazil, and phones and calling plans are inexpensive. ...
Accommodation in BrasiliaBrasilia, the country's federal capital, is home to many highly-paid government employees and foreign ...
Dating in BrazilIf you're single and ready to mingle, then you might want to try your hand at dating after you've settled ...
Marriage in BrazilBrazil can be a romantic country, and you may want to marry here. Perhaps you even want to remain in Brazil ...
