Despite the fact that her husband served his country in the U.S. military, the U.S. deported Alejandra Juarez to Mexico on Friday. The mom of two U.S. citizen kids had no criminal record and garnered the support of leaders like Congress member Darren Soto of Florida, who pleaded with the administration to halt the mom’s deportation. The administration refused to budge.
"It's an absolute disgrace by the Trump administration to be deporting a patriotic spouse," he said. "Her husband, Temo, served in the Marines ... while she was at home on the home-front, raising two young women. What justice does this serve?"
There is no justice in this administration, only destructive anti-family policies implemented by officials who seek justice only for themselves—or at least what they think justice to be. Temo himself had attempted to intervene in a letter he wrote to Donald Trump. It turns out Temo also voted for him in 2016, “saying he didn’t think the billionaire’s election would hasten his wife’s deportation.” Now he realizes he was wrong. “I ate my words," he said. "Obviously, when Trump came in, everybody is [a] priority now.”
Juarez first fell onto ICE’s radar during a traffic stop in 2013, but with nothing on her record, “ICE deferred separation and allowed Alejandra Juarez to remain in the U.S.,” Think Progress reported. Trump threw these priorities out the window following his inauguration, now leaving this military family to be torn in two.
“For now,” NBC reports, “Alejandra Juarez was traveling by herself. After she is settled, younger daughter Estela will join her. Temo Juarez will care for Pamela in Florida and pay the bills.” Pamela, who is 16, said that her "mom is a good person. She's not a criminal." Now she must learn to cope with life without her mom while her little sister, who is only eight, learns to cope with living in a country that is not her own. To help the family, advocates have established an online fundraiser, which has already raised more than $20,000.
"My husband fought for this country three times,” Juarez said in her words to Trump. “The administration, yourself, you think you are punishing me. You're not just punishing me. I hope this make him happy. Perhaps we will forgive him."