The story seems a bit "feel-good"-y. Many Roma don't have the resources for this kind of trip. They're among the lowest social classes in relatively poor countries (think average wage of less than $500 per month).
About discrimination... yes, there is a lot of it. It's a cultural thing. The traditional Roma culture is close to incompatible with modern societies: nomadic societies (in a world of property rights), arranged marriages for teens (as young as 12-14), a culture valuing "face" and prestige incredibly highly (think possibility of violent clashes for offenses). There's also a probably reasonable from the Roma point of view "moat mentality" where outside help is viewed with a lot of suspicion, based on past discrimination. Overall, a very hard nut to crack, this discrimination, for both sides.
A one way flight from Europe is North America is not that expensive ($300-$800), it's something even poor people are able to save up for and larger families are able to pool their resources together. The practice described in the article has been fairly common for well over a decade now, but previously the destination was typically Canada rather than the United States.
About discrimination... yes, there is a lot of it. It's a cultural thing. The traditional Roma culture is close to incompatible with modern societies: nomadic societies (in a world of property rights), arranged marriages for teens (as young as 12-14), a culture valuing "face" and prestige incredibly highly (think possibility of violent clashes for offenses). There's also a probably reasonable from the Roma point of view "moat mentality" where outside help is viewed with a lot of suspicion, based on past discrimination. Overall, a very hard nut to crack, this discrimination, for both sides.