Additional Coverage:
- 10-year-old U.S. citizen being treated for brain cancer deported while on the way to doctors appointment (themirror.com)
A Texas family’s desperate attempt to seek medical care for their 10-year-old daughter recently took a devastating turn when they were deported to Mexico. The young girl, a US citizen, is battling brain cancer and requires specialized treatment in Houston.
During a routine trip to see her doctors, the family was stopped at an immigration checkpoint. Although they had successfully navigated this checkpoint numerous times before by presenting letters from doctors and lawyers, this time, the parents’ undocumented status led to their immediate detention and deportation, along with their five American children.
The family’s legal representative, Danny Woodward of the Texas Civil Rights Project, confirmed the family’s repeated previous crossings for medical care. The mother, who has chosen to remain anonymous, expressed her anguish and fear, describing her daughter lying on a cold floor under harsh lighting in the detention center. She pleaded with officers, explaining her daughter’s critical condition, but her concerns seemed to go unheard.
After several agonizing hours, the family was transported to the Mexican border and left with little more than the clothes on their backs. They spent a week in a shelter before finding temporary housing.
The family’s ordeal is further compounded by their 15-year-old son’s heart condition, which also requires ongoing medical attention. Neither child has received the necessary care since their arrival in Mexico.
Their mother poignantly stated, “The authorities have my children’s lives in their hands.”
The family originally came to the US in 2013, seeking a better future. The 10-year-old daughter’s cancer diagnosis last year was a devastating blow, but her successful surgery offered a glimmer of hope. Now, that hope hangs precariously in the balance.
Rochelle Garza, president of the Texas Civil Rights Project, calls the family’s situation a tragedy and points to a concerning pattern of similar cases involving mixed-status families. While U.S. Customs and Border Protection declined to comment on this specific case, the family’s plight raises serious questions about the balance between immigration enforcement and the well-being of vulnerable children.