I hesitated before posting this story because it is about something so cartoonishly evil, so sociopathic, that I wondered if it could actually be true. Then I remembered that we’re dealing with the Trump II Administration here. And, I verified that the story was being reported through multiple mainstream news sources, as well as a Snopes.com writeup.
The short version: a young girl was undergoing treatment in Texas following surgery to remove a brain tumor. She is an American citizen (along with several siblings), born in the U.S., but her parents are undocumented immigrants. The family lives in the Rio Grande valley and was traveling to a medical appointment in Houston for a checkup on the progress of the child’s recovery, when they were detained at an immigration checkpoint. (Something I did not know — the U.S. Border Patrol operates 71 checkpoints inside the U.S., along highways near the U.S. — Mexican border). Apparently the family had previously passed through the checkpoint multiple times without incident. However, this time they were detained, and given the option of being deported along with their children or of separating from the children to leave them in the U.S. However, unless there is a power of attorney or specified guardian, the state takes custody of the children and they likely go into foster care. What are the odds of undocumented parents being able to return to the U.S., let alone regain custody of their children, under this administration?
Mainstream news reports on the incident come from NBC, CNN, and El Pais. The Snopes.com writeup on the story is here.
The family was traveling with letters from their doctors and lawyer and, as noted, had apparently passed the checkpoint multiple times previously. So why single them out now? In addition, can’t humanitarian parole be granted? Is this family “the worst of the worst”? Are there any allegations they were smuggling fentanyl or engaged in human trafficking? Of course not, and the Trump administration never meant a word of it when they said they would be prioritizing dangerous criminals for deportation. The cruelty is the point. They do it because they can. The purpose is to terrorize immigrants, not protect U.S. citizens from crime. In fact, deporting a sick child who is a U.S. citizen, to a country she has never lived in, seems the literal opposite — it endangers a minor. What a pathetic commentary on what we have become under Trump.
