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Last week, three children who are US citizens, including a 4-year-old receiving cancer treatment, were deported to Honduras with their mothers. According to attorneys and advocacy groups, this shocking event has raised concerns about the lack of due process in immigration enforcement.
A Heartbreaking Case of a 4-Year-Old Cancer Patient
One of the children, a 4-year-old battling metastatic cancer, was deported alongside her mother. Another case involved a mother and her 2-year-old, while the third case involved a mother deported with her 4-year-old and 7-year-old children. All the families were detained after attending routine check-ins with immigration authorities as part of the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP) in Louisiana.
Detention During Routine Check-Ins
The mothers and children were reportedly detained when the women attended their ISAP appointments, which are part of a program that monitors immigrants with pending cases. Lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Immigration Project, who represent the families, have condemned these deportations, saying they demonstrate a significant erosion of due process under the current immigration system.
Concerns Over Due Process and Immigration Crackdown
Gracie Willis, a lawyer from the National Immigration Project, expressed grave concerns about the erosion of due process, stating, “These cases illustrate how vulnerable individuals are being treated under the current administration’s immigration policies.”
The situation has ignited a public outcry, as these families had followed the prescribed procedures to check in with ICE but were still detained and deported without proper legal recourse.
Deportation Without Access to Legal Representation
In one of the cases, the mother of the 2-year-old was detained after arriving for her ISAP check-in and was reportedly separated from her children. Despite filing an emergency stay of removal, the attorney was unable to prevent their deportation. Within 24 hours, the family was placed on a flight to Honduras, with no access to their legal counsel during the process.
Alleged Discrepancy in Claims About Handwritten Note
The U.S. government claimed that the mother of the 2-year-old had requested to take her child to Honduras, citing a handwritten note. However, the family’s attorney rejected these claims, saying the note did not reflect a desire to take the child and that both mothers intended for their children to remain in the U.S., particularly in the case of the 4-year-old receiving cancer treatment.
Advocacy Groups Speak Out Against the Deportations
Legal experts and advocacy groups are calling for immediate reform in the immigration system. Alanah Odoms from the ACLU of Louisiana emphasized the vulnerability of these families, saying, “These are mothers, children, and individuals with serious medical conditions who were law-abiding residents checking in with ICE as required. If ICE can do this to them, none of us are safe from such lawlessness.”
The Growing Debate Over Immigration Enforcement
These deportations have sparked a broader debate about the current state of immigration enforcement and its impact on families. Many are calling for increased accountability and better protection of due process rights, especially for vulnerable individuals, including children and those with health conditions.
