Thursday, October 26, 2017

Girl with cerebral palsy detained by ICE agents after surgery

 



A 10-year-old girl in Texas with cerebral palsy faces deportation after being discharged from a hospital where she just had surgery.
Rosamaria Hernandez, who is undocumented but has lived in the US since she was 3 months old, and her cousin were confronted around 2 a.m. Tuesday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
Rosamaria and her cousin, who is a US citizen, were in an ambulance and being transferred between two hospitals so the little girl could undergo emergency gall bladder surgery at Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Corpus Christi.
The ambulance was escorted by ICE agents to the hospital from an immigration checkpoint in Freer. Border Patrol agents waited outside the girl’s hospital room until she was released from the facility.
Upon her release, Rosamaria was taken to a shelter in San Antonio that holds migrant children who arrive alone in the US — despite doctor’s orders that she visit with her family’s primary care physician in Laredo post-surgery.
“Their orders are to process her,” said Leticia Gonzalez, who works with the girl’s immigration lawyer, Alex Galvez. “At this point, our argument to [immigration officials] is there is a doctor’s directive, why aren’t you following it?”
Rosamaria has lived in Laredo since being brought by her parents from Mexico to the US illegally as a baby.
A Customs and Border Protection spokesman said Rosamaria was no exception to the agency’s responsibility to follow immigration law.
“Per the immigration laws of the United States, once medically cleared she will be processed accordingly,” Rod Kise said in a statement. “The Mexican Consulate has been advised of the situation by Laredo Sector Border Patrol.”
Galvez said Homeland Security officials will conduct a home study to see if the girl can be released to family. He said her case will be expedited and that it’s strong because she’s not a flight risk due to her disability and doesn’t pose a threat to society.
Rosamaria’s mother, Felipa de la Cruz, said they crossed the border in hopes of getting medical treatment for her cerebral palsy. The family wasn’t able to afford therapy in Mexico but in Texas, Medicaid paid for the girl’s treatment, de la Cruz said.
“I’m a mother. All I wanted was for her to get the surgery that she needed,” de la Cruz told the New York Times. “It never crossed my mind that any of what is happening right now could happen. When you’re a mother, all you care about is your child.”
Guards outside her hospital room ?? Really?? She's ten and disabled. The poor little scrap of humanity. Whatever happened to compassion and generosity in America? Why are those guards not tracking down illegal  human traffickers and illegal drug smugglers ? Shame on you America.

3 comments:

  1. Oh shadow ,
    My heart is crying for the little girl .
    I too , wants to know where has the humanity of the people of the US has gone ... what harm can the little girl do , she has been here all her life and deserves a chance to be treated for her illness . I too , would like to know why isn't they guards tracking down human traffickers /murderers / drug smugglers .
    All the mother wants was her baby to get care .
    I hope they reconsider her staying ... but I won't hold my breath .
    Good article ,
    I call a lot of people and ask them to call people they knew from all over the US , if they know someone in Texas , may them aware to call their people in charge . I told them we wanted to have people calling from all over . We may not be able to keep her here but we can let them know where we stand . Sometime you have to make your own rule for the good of right . To let this kid stay is one of those times .
    They can lose her in the paperwork like they do everything else .
    If the mother was rich , they would let her stay .
    Good story Shadow ...
    Love Witchy

    PS: I will write you a note tomorrow ... I need your help with and it won't take long .I will explain in my note ... you can pick the day and we can do it then.
    Love you girl
    NEE

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anything you can do is great. Even if a few people make a noise, sometimes that can turn the tide.
    Look forward to your note and glad to help you any way I can.
    Take care
    love Shadow.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hope your weekend was great
    Go to WAG.
    Love
    Witchy

    ReplyDelete

Through this ever open gate
None come too early
None too late
Thanks for dropping in ... the PICs