In December 2018, federal officials opened the first dorm in Texas meant for one group of asylum seekers: transgender women. Houston Public Media followed the journey of one transgender migrant from Honduras to Houston.
Elizabeth Trovall / Houston Public Media
Salazar lives with her cousin’s family in Houston. She said she’s looking forward to having her own place one day.
From the time she was 7 until she was 12, Melanie Salazar says she was tortured, raped and beaten by family members. All because she was born a boy, but always knew inside she was a girl. She prefers Melanie, instead of her given name, Melanio.
But when a gang member repeatedly threatened to decapitate her with a chainsaw — after he raped and kidnapped her — she decided to flee her native Honduras and seek asylum in the United States.
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