An entire family was deported to Mexico while on their way to the hospital.A 10-year-old girl battling brain cancer has been deported along with her family, despite needing ongoing medical care in the United States.
The family, originally from Texas, was stopped at an immigration checkpoint last month while traveling to Houston for the child’s medical appointment. Despite having made the trip multiple times before without issue, this time, they were detained and sent to Mexico.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers apprehended the family as they made their way from Rio Grande to Houston, where the young girl had been receiving treatment from her doctors.Their lawyer, who has been assisting the family, confirmed that they had successfully traveled to Houston five times in the past for similar appointments without any trouble.
Previously, when stopped at the checkpoint, the undocumented parents provided letters from their attorney and medical professionals. These had been accepted on each prior occasion, allowing them to continue their journey.
However, this time, border officials refused to honor them and proceeded to arrest the parents, despite them having no criminal record.
The little girl was recovering from brain surgery after having a cancerous tumor removedTexas Civil Rights ProjectAt the time of the detention, the family’s car was carrying the 10-year-old girl and four other children.
Of the five children, only one was not born in the United States, making the majority of them U.S. citizens. But when immigration officers presented the parents with an option—to either be deported alone or take the children with them—the couple made the difficult decision to keep their family together and leave for Mexico as a unit.The alternative would have been for the children to be placed in the U.S. foster care system, a scenario that would have made family reunification far more complicated and uncertain.
The 10-year-old girl had been undergoing treatment for brain cancer, having undergone surgery the previous year. Since the operation to remove the tumor, she had been attending follow-up visits in Houston to ensure her recovery was progressing as expected.
blob:https://southafricanews.site/683d3c27-b904-4fbe-ae1f-5a4367451799Her mother later told NBC News that when immigration authorities took them into custody, the family was separated.
She and her daughters were placed in one area, while her husband and sons were taken elsewhere.
Eventually, border agents transported them to a detention facility before driving them across the border into Mexico.
The family were bundled into a vanTexas Civil Rights ProjectOnce in Mexico, the family was initially housed in a shelter before being relocated to a temporary home. However, the situation has left them in fear, as reports indicate that U.S. citizens in the region have been targets of kidnappings.
To make matters worse, the family’s 15-year-old son is also in need of medical care. He suffers from Long QT syndrome, a heart condition that disrupts normal heart rhythms and can be life-threatening if left untreated.His condition requires specialized care and consistent monitoring, but now that the family has been deported, accessing proper medical treatment has become nearly impossible.
The mother expressed deep concern, telling NBC that without access to doctors in the U.S., both of her children’s health conditions have been put at serious risk.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies have faced widespread criticism for their aggressive approach to deportations. His administration has repeatedly defended its stance, arguing that the responsibility lies with undocumented parents.During a previous interview with The Washington Post, Trump’s former border czar, Tom Homan, addressed the issue of mixed-status families facing deportation. He dismissed the concerns, stating: “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 in 2017, Trump has remained firm in his commitment to strengthening U.S. border security. His administration has consistently pursued policies that increase deportations, including targeting families with children who are U.S. citizens.