L. got a call one recent Friday from a friend, desperate to talk and pleading to meet. She hesitated. She hardly ventures out anymore.
That evening, she risked it and, for two hours, shared slices of cheese pizza and worries. Both are Haitian immigrants whose temporary legal status in the United States is set to expire soon.
Like many Haitians living in America, neither L. nor her friend has decided yet what to do: Return to their tumultuous country, 700 miles from Miami, stay illegally in the United States, or relocate to another country altogether.
L., who asked to be identified only by her first initial because of her risk for early deportation, left the pizza shop angry, frustrated, and stressed.
“If my country was OK, we wouldn’t be in this situation,’’ she thought.
