SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Gaby Verdugo grew up in Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico. She says she vividly remembers the violence in her hometown.

"They start shooting right on top of the gate. I was like, 'Oh, it is happening again,'" Verdugo said. "All I can hear, my mom is like, 'Get down, get down.' And all I wanted to do is to actually see what's happening."

That was the main reason she decided to immigrate to the United States of America and have the freedom to build a life she wanted.

"I remember me being a kid and going onto the roof of my house and I will literally see El Paso, Texas, from my house because I was very close to the border," Verdugo said. "And just seeing the difference architecturally, or just like how clean it was from this side to this side."

She came to the U.S. just before

See Full Page