An 11-year-old girl from El Salvador is facing the grim prospect of deportation after being issued a removal order, following an alleged missed court date. This young girl, Maria Torres, is at risk of being sent back to the very environment her family fled from last fall—without the support of her mother and sister.
Maria’s journey began when her mother, Elena Rodriguez, escaped gang violence in El Salvador with Maria and her 15-year-old sister, Sofia. Their family had already suffered tragic losses; a relative was murdered after testifying against a gang, and Sofia herself faced threats from a gang member who warned of dire consequences if she reported the harassment. “That’s when mom decided we needed to escape to the United States,” Maria recounted.
On October 5, 2018, the trio was detained at the U.S.-Mexico border but was subsequently released to pursue asylum claims. Since November, they have diligently checked in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) every two weeks, complying with all legal requirements.
However, during a recent immigration court appearance, Maria was shockingly ordered to be deported back to El Salvador—alone. The thought of sending an 11-year-old back to a violent and dangerous situation is unfathomable.
Maria’s attorney, Clara White, attributes the missed court appearance to a communication mishap, potentially due to issues with a court translator. She is advocating for the case to be reopened. The family’s originally scheduled court date was postponed from February 2 to March 12 due to the government shutdown. When they arrived on the new date, an interpreter mistakenly informed them that Maria’s name was not on the docket.
After receiving a letter they could not comprehend due to the language barrier, they learned during their next court visit that it was a deportation notice solely for Maria. Disturbingly, Judge Robert H. Johnson of the Houston Immigration Court marked her as “not present” at the March hearing, despite the clerical errors and the fact that a child should not face deportation alone. “No valid reason was provided for the Respondent’s failure to appear,” the order stated. “Consequently, the Respondent has forfeited all avenues for relief from removal.”
At a press conference, Maria was visibly distraught as she expressed, “I feel terrible because I don’t want to be separated from my family. I don’t want to leave my mom.” The family, along with their legal team and the advocacy group Families United in the Struggle, is hopeful that this situation can be resolved, allowing Maria to remain in the U.S. with her family while they pursue their asylum case. “It’s unacceptable that a child could slip through the cracks like this,” White stated, emphasizing the need for attention to the overburdened court system.
To read more about related topics and gain insight into the challenges families face, be sure to check out other informative articles like this one on artificial insemination kits at Make a Mom or learn about developmental milestones for infants at Intracervical Insemination. For further resources on pregnancy and home insemination, visit the CDC’s page on infertility FAQs.
In summary, Maria Torres, an 11-year-old girl, is facing deportation back to El Salvador without the support of her family due to a missed court appearance stemming from a communication error. Her family is fighting for her to stay in the U.S. while they pursue their asylum claim, highlighting the severe shortcomings of the immigration system.