“I sat under the sun, waiting for someone to arrive... and then I fainted,” Erika recalled, the 24-year-old Guatemalan migrant who crossed the Arizona border alone at 35 weeks pregnant. She had walked for two days through the desert, without water or assistance, in extreme temperatures. Hours later, she woke up still lying on the ground. “I tried to walk a little further until I saw a patrol coming... and that’s when I got up and asked them for help,” she recounted in a report by Univision Arizona.
The agents transferred her to a Border Patrol station, and noticing that she could no longer stand, they took her to Tucson Medical Center. “I started to feel pain, I couldn't stand anymore, it hurt a lot,” Erika recounted. At the hospital, they informed her that she was dehydrated, had lost amniotic fluid, and that labor needed to be induced. “They told me that, possibly from walking so much, my water broke and that if they didn't induce labor, my baby could die,” she explained. Her baby was born on the night of Wednesday, April 30th.
After giving birth, Erika was placed under federal custody. According to her lawyer, Luis Campos, when he attempted to see her in the hospital, he was denied access even by phone, as he also explained to Univision. Erika was also unable to have immediate contact with her newborn daughter.
After leaving the hospital, both were taken to a detention center. “They gave me a mattress, some blankets for me and for my baby... the truth is, I didn't sleep because it was a bit cold,” she recounted in a second interview published on the Univision Arizona channel on YouTube.
According to Campos, she was informed that she would be deported quickly and had to decide whether to return alone or with her daughter, who is a U.S. citizen by birth.
The case went viral on social media and sparked protests outside the hospital in Tucson. Activists and community members demanded that her deportation be halted. In statements to EFE, protester Lenzy Hernández described the expulsion attempt as "an abomination." "It is a crime against humanity," she asserted.
Public pressure, media attention, and the intervention of Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs changed the course of the case. Erika and her baby were released over the weekend and sent to a nonprofit organization in Phoenix, where they can stay while their process unfolds.
Erika received a summons to appear before an immigration judge, which will allow her to file an asylum application. Her attorney explained that she has no criminal record or prior deportations, and that her family contacted her from Guatemala seeking legal assistance.
According to the videos shared by Univision, Erika had left her country fleeing from a serious threat. Now, her situation is in the hands of the immigration judicial system.
The story of Érika adds to the experiences of other migrants who have faced deportation processes. One of the most recent cases is that of the Cuban Heydi Sánchez, who was deported to Cuba on April 28 despite being married to a U.S. citizen and being the mother of a 12-month-old girl. Her attorney, Claudia Cañizares, explained in an interview with Univision Noticias that ICE moved up her immigration control appointment and executed the deportation without prior notice, even though they were processing the reopening of her case.
The Hondurans Jenny Carolina López-Villela and Reachel Alexas Morales-Valle, along with their children born in the U.S., were also recently deported, as reported by EFE.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Deportation of Migrants in the United States
Why was Erika, a Guatemalan migrant, taken into custody after giving birth in the U.S.?
Erika was placed under federal custody after giving birth due to her irregular immigration status. Despite needing medical care and rest after childbirth, authorities acted swiftly to proceed with her deportation. Public and media pressure ultimately changed the course of the case, allowing Erika and her baby to be released and sent to a nonprofit organization in Phoenix.
How did public pressure affect Erika's deportation case?
The public pressure and the intervention of Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs played a crucial role in halting Erika's deportation. Protests and media attention prompted authorities to reconsider their decision, resulting in the release of Erika and her daughter, who now have the opportunity to file an asylum application before an immigration judge.
What rights do the children of migrants born in the U.S. have?
Children born in the United States are U.S. citizens by birth, regardless of their parents' immigration status. This means they cannot be deported like their parents. However, parents face difficult decisions, such as leaving their children in the U.S. or taking them along, which often leads to distress and legal complications.
What are the criticisms of the current immigration policies in the U.S.?
The U.S. immigration policies have been criticized for their lack of humanity and sensitivity, especially in cases of family separation and expedited deportations. Cases like that of Erika and other migrants have sparked protests due to the strict enforcement of laws without considering the humanitarian impact, leading to increasing pressure to reform the immigration system.
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