Nexan Asencio Corado was 20 when he left Guatemala and crossed into the U.S. illegally. He wound up settling in Massachusetts and built a life there.

Within a decade, he was working in construction and framing. He fell in love with Christina Toledo and married her. They had two twin sons. 

In May, Nexan – who had started the process of seeking lawful permanent residency in the U.S. – was arrested by ICE agents and brought to a Federal Correctional Institution. 

From that moment, Nexan and Christina faced important choices about how to stay together, care for each other, and protect their family.

In this episode, Boston Globe immigration reporter Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio tells the story of Nexan and Christina, using recordings from their life and phone calls, with their permission.

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