Human RightsNorth America

‘Undocumented’ 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy arrested in US after surgery

 

A 10-year-old undocumented girl with cerebral palsy has been arrested right after a surgery in the United States to be deported to Mexico amid US President Donald Trump’s stated efforts to boost the country’s national security by cracking down on immigrants.

US immigration officials followed Rosa Maria Hernandez to a hospital in the US state of Texas last week just to detain her after the surgery, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) charged on Monday, giving the government until Tuesday to let her go back to her family.

“Forcibly separating Rosa Maria from her family inflicts serious psychological and emotional injury on her and on her entire family,” the ACLU said in a letter to multiple government agencies in charge of refugee children.

It further accused the government of taking “immediate legal action,” if she is not released.

A cyclist rides along a commercial strip in the predominately Hispanic Pilsen neighborhood on October 16, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois.  (Photo by AFP)

 

When Rosa was just three months old, she was reportedly brought to the US from Mexico by crossing from Nuevo Laredo to Laredo.

The journey was made in the hope of finding better treatment for Rosa’s brain developmental illness, which affects body movement and muscle control.

A US citizen adult relative followed the girl to the hospital, where she was later picked up by immigration officials.

So far, more than $26,000 has been raised on GoFundMe to help with her legal costs.

Trump has vowed to crack down on immigration but has failed to get his complete agenda through so far.

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