Meet a 16-Year-Old Coming Home with the Dream 30

Have dreams. Will travel.

By Aura Bogado Sep 27, 2013

The Dream 9 drew a lot of attention last month when they very publically crossed the U.S.-Mexico border. The nine were taken into detention but sent home to their various communities across the U.S. after just 17 days. 

Now, an even bigger group of people will cross on Monday. Three of the estimated 30 crossers are minors–one is just 13 years old. The other two are just a bit older. They’re participating in the National Immigrant Youth Alliance’s new Bring Them Home campaign.

16-year-old Javier Galvan has called Jacksonville, Florida home for most of his life. He arrived when he was just three years old. But two years ago, when his grandmother fell ill in Michoacan, Mexico, he returned to be with her. 

Since then, he’s faced a hard time trying to speak Spanish, especially in school. He’s endured verbal bullying and physical attacks. He says he wants to come back home to Jacksonville to finish school and eventually study medicine.