Undocumented 10-Year-Old Girl Detained after Undergoing Emergency Surgery

A 10-year-old girl was recently detained by immigration enforcement agents after being discharged from a children’s hospital. The girl, Rosa Maria Hernandez, was being transported by her cousin to Driscoll Children’s Hospital when they passed through a Customs and Border checkpoint. Immigration agents allowed the two to proceed but followed them to the hospital.

After being discharged, Rosa Maria, who has cerebral palsy, was escorted by officers to Bexar County Juvenile Detention Center.

This story is a tragic reminder of just how relentless and inhuman U.S. immigration authorities have become under the Trump Administration. If you or a member of your family is facing deportation proceedings, contact my office to discuss your situation. I understand what’s at stake, and I will tirelessly help you fight to stay in the country and pursue your immigration goals. Call 973-453-2009 to schedule a free consultation with a New Jersey green card lawyer from the Law Office of Eric M. Mark.

Rosa Maria Entered the United States as an Infant

Rosa Maria was brought to the United States when she was 3 months old by her mother, Felipa De La Cruz, who is also an undocumented immigrant. According to Newsweek, when De La Cruz found out that Rosa Maria needed emergency gallbladder surgery that could only be performed at a hospital that was 2.5 hours away, on the other side of a Border Patrol checkpoint, she asked Rosa Maria’s cousin, Aurora Cantu, to transport her instead.

Cantu brought a notarized letter to notify officers that she was transporting an undocumented person to the hospital for emergency treatment.

Two Border Patrol officers followed, and after the surgery was complete, the officers stood outside Rosa Maria’s hospital room. That same night, immigration attorney Leticia Hernandez was informed about Rosa Maria’s situation and rushed to the children’s hospital.

According to Newsweek, five armed Border Patrol agents were waiting outside Rosa Maria’s hospital room when Hernandez arrived. Hospital staff tried to prevent Hernandez from entering the room, but they obliged after she threatened to tell the public about the situation on a popular Spanish radio station.

This was not the first time an undocumented immigrant had been detained at Driscoll Children’s Hospital. In September, two parents were detained and put into deportation proceedings after bringing in their infant son for pyloric stenosis treatment.

Under the Obama Administration, the Department of Homeland Security avoided enforcement actions at schools, churches, public demonstrations, and hospitals. But under the Trump Administration, undocumented immigrants are being forced to choose between getting emergency medical treatment and avoiding deportation.

If you or a member of your family is facing removal proceedings, contact my office to discuss your situation. There are numerous ways to avoid deportation and remain in the country, but each case is unique. I will evaluate your situation and help you identify the best approach to accomplishing your immigration goals. Call 973-453-2009 to schedule a consultation with an immigration attorney in New Jersey.

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