Mother and daughter share story after weeks in immigration detention
By Madison Perales
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OMAHA, Nebraska (KETV) — A mother and daughter living in Omaha are sharing their story after being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement earlier this year.
Maria and her daughter came to the United States from Guatemala in 2014 to reunite with Maria’s husband, who is seeking asylum. While Maria was denied an asylum interview, she was granted a work permit and allowed to stay in the U.S. under an order of supervision.
“I never expected that they were going to detain us,” their daughter said.
Maria said she leaned on faith during their time in custody.
“I told her that we have to believe in God, that he was the only one who would take us out of that place,” Maria said.
In May, Maria went to a routine check-in at a local immigration office. After the appointment, she received a text message from ICE.
“I had to bring all my family in the office,” Maria said. “I was scared because I didn’t know what was going to happen.”
On June 4, Maria arrived at the ICE office near 19th and Douglas with her husband and two children. She did not expect that she and her daughter would be separated from the rest of the family and taken into custody.
Maria and her daughter were sent to a detention facility in Texas, more than 1,000 miles away from Maria’s husband, Abel, and their 10-year-old son.
“When we were detained, I didn’t feel good because I didn’t know what was going to happen,” Maria said. “They didn’t give us an answer or tell us what’s going to happen.”
Their daughter added, “There was a lot of officers watching if someone tried to escape.”
Their personal items were taken, and they were issued facility clothing. Maria’s daughter described their living quarters as “little houses” separated by colors.
“We were in the yellow side,” she said.
There were phones available for calls, but Maria’s daughter said they didn’t know how to use them at first.
“Since no one teach us how to use the phone, we wasted our five minutes. And so we couldn’t call my dad,” she said.
The facility also had a gym and a library. During their stay, the two met another mother and daughter.
“I got so close to her daughter,” Maria’s daughter said.
The girls planned to go to the library together.
“The same day I got the pass, she got deported,” she said.
Maria and her daughter remained in detention for five weeks.
“When we would go to the cafeteria, the days were up on the wall,” Maria said.
Her daughter did not receive an asylum interview until she was already inside the detention facility.
“They asked me, why did I enter United States?” she said. “But I really didn’t know how to answer because I was 3 years old.”
A few days later, ICE called Maria in to discuss the interview.
“I couldn’t go inside the room, just my mom,” the daughter said. “So she went there, and she was crying, and I thought they told her something bad.”
“At that moment, I hugged her,” Maria said. “I told her that we are going to leave here soon.”
“The fact there was a biological connection made a big difference,” the family’s immigration attorney, Rachel Yamamoto, said. “I think they also grant a little more consideration to children.”
After their release, Yamamoto made the emotional call to Maria’s husband, Abel.
“When they told me I was happy because I didn’t think you were going to come back,” Abel said.
Maria’s daughter said her younger brother was emotional during the reunion.
“My brother started crying when he saw, and he hugged me first, and then he hugged my mom,” she said.
Despite being released, Maria said she still wears an ankle monitor and faces new restrictions, without explanation from ICE.
“She just has to have one whole day available every 14 days to be checked on or to go check in,” Yamamoto said. “So she can’t work even though she has a valid work permit.”
“I’m scared to leave or work,” Maria said. “I don’t feel good, I feel like they’re going to detain me again.”
Still, the family is determined to stay together.
“It’s not easy, but we can,” Maria said. “That’s what’s important, that our family is reunited.”
“Follow the process,” Abel said. “Because if you miss anything — an appointment or a date — the situation becomes a lot bigger and harder than it already is.”
Yamamoto said she’s working to consolidate Maria, Abel and their daughter’s cases. Abel continues working full-time while Maria stays home with their children, who remain in school.
Resolving their immigration cases may take time. The daughter’s next court hearing is scheduled for next year. Maria and Abel’s court dates have not been scheduled, as Yamamoto said the court system is overwhelmed.
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