"Mom, stay calm. I'm here with you." These heartfelt words came from a young boy attempting to soothe his mother, Érika Quiroz, who was in the throes of a panic attack during her arrest by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officers outside the Immigration Court in San Antonio, Texas. Captured by Univision cameras, this distressing scene sparked outrage among immigrant communities.
Identified as a Honduran national, the woman was detained alongside her young son and taken into a detention van. Overwhelmed with emotion, she began to hyperventilate, cry, and plead, "I don't want to leave." Throughout the turmoil, her child clung to her, trying to offer comfort. The situation culminated with her being removed from the vehicle due to her severe condition, yet no paramedics were called by the agents. It was a journalist who provided her with water to help ease her crisis.
Increased ICE Arrests in San Antonio Raise Concerns
Quiroz's arrest is not an isolated incident. Since May 21, ICE agents have been conducting daily arrests outside the immigration court in San Antonio. According to court sources, at least 40 individuals, including children, are detained each day.
A Cuban woman named Lennys Hernández reported that her father was also apprehended on May 29, despite attending his second court hearing with his lawyer and without being questioned by the judge before his detention.
Legal Challenges and Rapid Deportations
Immigration attorneys warn that many of those detained have been in the United States for less than two years and are subject to "expedited removal," which limits their ability to present compelling cases to remain in the country.
Érika Quiroz's experience resonates with the painful account of Heydi Sánchez Tejeda, a Cuban mother deported from Tampa, Florida, last April, leaving her nursing daughter behind. Despite being married to a U.S. citizen and having an active family petition, Sánchez was detained during a routine ICE appointment and deported to Cuba on April 23, separated from her one-year-old child who remained with her father in the U.S.
In an interview with CiberCuba, Heydi expressed her anguish, saying, "My daughter is my life, my everything. They are killing me slowly." Her case ignited reactions on social media and prompted Congresswoman Kathy Castor to intervene, requesting humanitarian parole from the president for the Cuban mother.
FAQs on ICE Arrests and Immigrant Challenges
What is "expedited removal" in the context of U.S. immigration?
"Expedited removal" is a process that allows ICE to quickly deport individuals who have been in the U.S. for less than two years without a lengthy court proceeding, limiting their ability to present a case for staying in the country.
How has the community reacted to increased ICE arrests in San Antonio?
The community has expressed significant outrage and concern, particularly among immigrant groups, as these arrests often involve families and children and occur without prior judicial interrogation.
What actions have been taken in response to Heydi Sánchez Tejeda's deportation?
Heydi Sánchez Tejeda's case led to social media outcry and intervention by Congresswoman Kathy Castor, who requested humanitarian parole from the president to reunite Sánchez with her daughter.