“I sat quietly under the scorching sun, hoping someone would come... and then I fainted,” recounted Erika, a 24-year-old Guatemalan migrant who bravely crossed the Arizona border alone while 35 weeks pregnant. She endured a grueling two-day trek through the desert without any assistance or water, facing extreme heat. Hours later, she awoke still lying on the ground. “I tried to walk just a bit further until I saw a patrol approaching... that's when I got up and pleaded for help,” she shared in a Univision Arizona report.
Border Patrol agents transported her to a station, and noticing her inability to stand, took her to the Tucson Medical Center. “I started to feel pain, I couldn’t stand anymore, it hurt a lot,” Erika recalled. At the hospital, doctors informed her she was dehydrated, had lost amniotic fluid, and the delivery needed to be induced. “They said that possibly from walking so much, my water broke and if labor wasn't induced, my baby could die,” she explained. Her baby was born on the night of Wednesday, April 30.
After giving birth, Erika was placed in federal custody. Her attorney, Luis Campos, stated that he was denied access to her at the hospital, even over the phone, as reported to Univision. Erika was also unable to have immediate contact with her newborn daughter. Once discharged, both were transferred to a detention center. “They gave me a mattress, some blankets for me and my baby... honestly, I didn’t sleep because it was quite cold,” she expressed in a second interview on Univision Arizona's YouTube channel.
Campos explained that she was informed of her impending deportation and had to decide whether to return to Guatemala alone or with her daughter, who is an American citizen by birth. The case gained traction on social media, sparking protests outside the Tucson hospital. Activists and community members demanded a halt to her deportation. Lenzy Hernández, a protester, told EFE that the deportation attempt was “an abomination” and “a crime against humanity.”
Public pressure, media attention, and the intervention of Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs altered the course of events. Erika and her baby were released over the weekend and sent to a nonprofit organization in Phoenix, where they can stay as her case moves forward. Erika received a notice to appear before an immigration judge, allowing her to apply for asylum. Her lawyer stated that she has no criminal record or previous deportations, and her family in Guatemala reached out for legal help.
In videos shared by Univision, Erika explained she fled her country due to a grave threat. Now, her fate lies within the U.S. immigration system. Erika's story mirrors the experiences of other migrants facing deportation. Among recent cases is that of Heydi Sánchez, a Cuban migrant deported to Cuba on April 28, despite being married to a U.S. citizen and the mother of a 12-month-old girl. Her attorney, Claudia Cañizares, told Univision Noticias that ICE unexpectedly expedited her immigration check-in and executed the deportation despite an ongoing case reopening process.
Recently, Honduran migrants Jenny Carolina López-Villela and Reachel Alexas Morales-Valle, along with their U.S.-born children, were also deported, as reported by EFE.
Understanding the Challenges of Migrant Mothers Facing Deportation
What were the main challenges Erika faced during her journey?
Erika faced extreme dehydration, lost amniotic fluid, and the physical exhaustion of walking through the desert while 35 weeks pregnant, which required her to seek medical help urgently.
How did public pressure influence Erika's deportation case?
Public outcry, protests, and media coverage, alongside the intervention of Arizona's governor, played a crucial role in halting Erika's deportation and securing her release.
What legal options are available to Erika now?
Erika has received a notice to appear before an immigration judge, which grants her the opportunity to apply for asylum in the United States.