Notre Dame senior Cassandra Bustillos, a psychology major, is speaking with Enrique Arista Salgado, a factory worker, about the kinds of stress he faces as a Mexican immigrant working in the United States.
Salgado is very positive at first, telling her how the Goshen community about 45 minutes from campus has embraced his family of four and provided so much support over the last 20 years as they have pursued the American dream. When their first baby was stillborn, the community “welcomed them with open arms” and made it possible to eventually have two healthy boys, now 15 and 13.
While Salgado says he hasn’t faced discrimination, he finally acknowledges considerable stress over a 2013 arrest for driving without a license, which led to a long legal battle. He was nearly deported, which would have separated his family, and he spoke emotionally about his last-minute release to his lawyer and wife.