Who Are These Travelers with Manila Envelopes?

I was trying to get some steps in before my next flight during a business trip last year when I noticed a father and son with nothing but a manila envelope. The father anxiously looked at the gate number and then back to his ticket. They were lost. I approached the pair and asked in Spanish if they needed help. Thankful, he smiled and showed me his boarding pass.

They were in the wrong terminal. I walked them toward their gate and explained how to tell the difference between the seat number and the gate number. I asked them where they were from (although I already knew), and he told me they were traveling from Guatemala. He was overjoyed when I told him I was from Guatemala too.

It is not uncommon to see new travelers lost as they try to navigate large airports like O’Hare. I am sure I stuck out like a sore thumb in Tokyo years ago trying to find the exit and my shuttle. But this father and son duo stuck out for another reason. I could tell by their clothes, their demeanor, and that pesky manila envelope that they had crossed the border illegally, and now our government was footing the bill to get him and his son to their city of choice.

Do not mistake my last sentence for disdain for migrants. I have a disdain for the policy, but I have incredible compassion for these migrant travelers. I wouldn’t have helped…