Pupusas and resilience: a story of hope on the border
- Voices from the Border
- Feb 24
- 3 min read
An article in Nuevo Día about two of our guests/friends, Jessica and Salvador, describes their journey from El Salvador, their original hopes, and where they are today. It is a testament to the power of faith and hard work.
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Here is the English translation of the article. Link to the original article.
Pupusas and resilience: a story of hope on the border
Author: Eliazar Álvarez, February 23, 2026, 10:57 AM, Section: Nogales. Last edited: February 23, 2026, 11:32 AM.
Originally from El Salvador, Jessica Minero found a new beginning in Nogales after fleeing violence; with the support of civil organizations, today she shares her traditional cuisine while redefining the “American dream” from Mexico.
What began as a long and arduous journey from Central America in search of the “American Dream” has found an indefinite pause, and a new beginning, on the border in Nogales, Sonora. Faced with the tightening of U.S. immigration policies and the inherent difficulties of the journey, migrants from countries like El Salvador demonstrate that survival and resilience know no border.
Such is the case of Jessica Minero, originally from El Salvador, who left her country in a migrant caravan on November 5, 2024, fleeing violence. “We went through a very difficult time in El Salvador because of threats, and there’s always the trauma that if we go back, something might happen to us,” she recounted, explaining that returning home is not an option.
Her goal was to cross into the United States legally. After an arduous journey that included traveling by train from Oaxaca to Mexico City, Jessica and her family managed to get an appointment through the CBP One app for January 18. However, the challenges of Mexican roads prevented them from arriving on time, as by the time they settled in Nogales, border restrictions had already closed their options for legal entry.
“I believe God’s purpose was for us to stay here,” Jessica reflects optimistically. Far from giving up, she has decided to share a piece of her homeland with the people of Nogales through its cuisine. Two weeks ago, she set up a stand selling popusas, the quintessential Salvadoran dish, near the Kino Initiative, a migrant support organization, on Colosio Boulevard near the “Mariposa” border crossing.
At 5:00 a.m., Jessica begins preparing the dough and ingredients to offer “mixed” popusas: one with pork rinds, beans, and cheese, and another with squash, shrimp, and jalapeño. “It’s a long process; the pork rinds need to be cooked three times,” she explained. Although many locals are still unfamiliar with the dish, the response has been positive, and little by little, they have won over the community’s palates.
The success of this business has been made possible thanks to a local support network. Jessica highlighted the help of civil organizations like Voces de la Frontera, which has provided them with lodging, as well as the Kino Initiative and the Red Cross, represented by Commander Lupita González, which facilitated the necessary permits for them to work honestly on the street.
While the legal and physical barriers of the United States keep thousands of Latin Americans stranded in northern Mexico, stories like Jessica's reflect the transformation of the migration phenomenon: border cities have ceased to be mere waiting rooms and have become new homes.
"God knows how He works things out, and you have to give it your all wherever God puts you," is the message Jessica sends to other migrants, while also inviting the Nogales community to try her pupusas from Monday to Saturday, from 7:00 to 11:00 in the morning; living proof that the true dream is, at the end of the day, a life free from violence and with opportunities to work.
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