Story by Ben Crosbie. When her native Venezuela was no longer safe, Heelen Pena fled to the United States. As a member of an opposition political party, she and her family faced constant hostility, including threats to her life. So, she was granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and received asylum in America, settling in Durham along with her mother, husband, and then-8-year-old son. She described this drastic transition as an extremely emotional period for herself and her family. “When I came to the United States, I came with a lot of drive but with a broken heart,” she said in Spanish. “And I saw my son’s broken heart. The first year was very difficult.” Five years later, the family is again facing the threat of being uprooted as Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem is terminating the TPS designation for Venezuela. The family now faces an uncertain future as they anxiously await their interviews to determine their asylum status. Full story on Chapelboro.com. . . . . . ....