A 10-year-old girl, still recovering from brain cancer, was deported along with her family. Last month, while heading to a medical check-up in Houston, immigration authorities stopped their car and sent them back to Mexico.
Authorities stopped the family on their way to a hospital
Customs and Border Protection officers pulled the family over at an immigration checkpoint as they made their way from Rio Grande to Houston. The little girl was with her parents when it happened.
They had always been allowed through before but not this time
The family had taken this trip five times before without a problem. Their daughter’s specialists were in Houston, and each time, they had shown letters from lawyers and doctors, which border officers had accepted.
But this time was different. This time, the officers decided the letters weren’t enough. The parents were arrested, even though their lawyer said they had no criminal record.
Parents chose deportation so their kids wouldn’t be left behind
The couple had five kids in the car. Four of them were born in the U.S., meaning they were American citizens. But when the parents were given a choice — be deported alone or take the whole family — they chose to keep their kids with them.
If they had left their children behind, the kids could have ended up in foster care, making it hard for the family to reunite.
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A child recovering from brain surgery now lacks medical access
The little girl had undergone brain surgery after being diagnosed with cancer last year. Her doctors in Houston had been keeping a close eye on her recovery.
But after the family was detained, authorities took them to a detention center and separated the mother and daughters from the father and sons. Then, they loaded them into a van and drove them across the border.
Life in Mexico comes with safety concerns
At first, the family stayed in a shelter. Later, they moved to a house. But the kids are scared. The area they were deported to has seen reports of U.S. citizens being kidnapped, and they don’t feel safe.
Their teenage son has a life-threatening condition
Their 15-year-old son is also sick. He has Long QT syndrome, a heart condition that can cause irregular heartbeats and, if left untreated, could be fatal.
His mother told NBC News that now that they’ve been deported, he and his sister aren’t getting the healthcare they need.
Trump officials say parents are responsible for their own deportation
Back in December, Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, was asked how he planned to handle deporting families with mixed immigration status. His response? The parents were to blame.
“Here’s the issue. You knew you were in the country illegally and chose to have a child. So you put your family in that position.”
Since taking office, Trump has pushed for tighter border controls and has made it clear that deportation policies will be strictly enforced.