After nearly a decade of waiting for a definitive answer in her immigration process, former Honduran alternate congresswoman Delmis Carolina C'Nol Amaya decided to voluntarily leave the United States and begin a new chapter in Europe, where she hopes to rebuild her life alongside her son.
C'Nol, 59, had been in the United States since 2015 under an asylum application process. During that time she managed to settle in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she worked, learned English, obtained a certification as a nursing assistant, and even bought a home.
The Honduran woman had requested protection, claiming she faced threats related to her defense of peasant communities and human rights. As part of her testimony, she recounted that she survived an armed ambush that took place in 2004 and that she subsequently left Honduras in 2014, after the murder of an activist close to her social work.
Before moving to the United States, C'Nol was involved in politics in Honduras. She served as an alternate congresswoman for the department of Cortés for the Christian Democratic Party of Honduras (PDCH) during the 2010-2014 period.
During the years she remained in the United States, C'Nol managed to integrate into the Grand Rapids community and build a life that she has now decided to leave behind.
In addition to learning English and training professionally as a nursing assistant, the Honduran woman participated in community activities through the Center for ...
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The former Honduran alternate deputy resided for years in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she managed to establish herself and participate in community activities. (Photo: Courtesy)
After nearly a decade of waiting for a definitive answer in her immigration process, former Honduran alternate deputy Delmis Carolina C'Nol Amaya decided to voluntarily leave the United States and begin a new chapter in Europe, where she hopes to rebuild her life alongside her son. C'Nol, 59, had remained in the United States since 2015 under an asylum application process. During that time, she managed to establish herself in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she worked, learned English, obtained a certification as a nursing assistant, and even bought a home.
The Honduran had requested protection, claiming she faced threats related to her defense of peasant communities and human rights. As part of her testimony, she recounted that she survived an armed ambush that occurred in 2004 and that she subsequently left Honduras in 2014, following the murder of an activist close to her social work.
Before moving to the United States, C'Nol had been involved in politics in Honduras. She served as an alternate deputy for the department of Cortés for the Christian Democratic Party of Honduras (PDCH) during the 2010-2014 period.
During the years she remained in the United States, C'Nol managed to integrate into the Grand Rapids community and build a life that she has now decided to leave behind.
C'Nol served as an alternate deputy for Cortés between 2010 and 2014, as a member of the Christian Democratic Party of Honduras. (Image generated with AI)
In addition to learning English and training professionally as a nursing assistant, the Honduran participated in community activities through the West Michigan Literacy Center, an organization with which she collaborated as a volunteer. Her work at that institution was recognized this year, when she received the 2026 Volunteer of the Year award, a recognition that reflected the bond she had built with the local community during her time in Michigan. She also managed to purchase a home, one of the achievements she attained during her stay in the United States.
However, her personal and community stability did not mean her immigration situation could be resolved favorably. In April 2025, an immigration judge rejected her asylum application and ordered her deportation from the United States, ending years of waiting for a resolution.
After learning of the judicial decision, the former lawmaker initially considered the possibility of appealing. However, as time passed, she began to question how long the process could be prolonged once again and decided not to continue waiting for an answer for several more years.
"What will happen in 10 years if the judge or the magistrate says 'no' to the appeal?" she questioned during an interview.
For C'Nol, age was also a determining factor in her decision. At 59, she believes that starting a new life may be more difficult if she waits until she is 70 to learn the definitive outcome of an immigration battle.
The Honduran applied for asylum in the United States in 2015, citing threats related to her work defending peasant communities and human rights. (Photo: Reference / Archive / REUTERS/Yoseph Amaya)
"I can't stay here another ten years. It's a new challenge. I don't see a future for my son and me here," she expressed, explaining the reasons that led her to abandon the process.
One of her main expectations when applying for asylum was to achieve the immigration stability that would allow her to travel freely and reunite with her family, a possibility that, she explained, remained limited during the years she was under the immigration process.
The decision to leave the United States also generated reactions among the people who met C'Nol during her time in Michigan. Wendy Falb, director of the educational center where the Honduran did volunteer work, called the situation a "betrayal," taking into account the account C'Nol had presented during her protection application process and the integration she subsequently achieved in the community.
Despite having built a life in Michigan, the former alternate deputy decided to sell her home and prepare her move to Europe, where she intends to start over.