In the United States, human rights organizations and attorneys are protesting against the recent deportation of immigrant mothers accompanied by their American citizen children. One of the most striking cases involves Heidy Sánchez, a Cuban mother, who was apprehended during a routine check-in at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Tampa and deported to Cuba within 48 hours — abruptly separated from her one-year-old daughter and husband, both American citizens.
“She is still breastfeeding her daughter, who suffers from seizures. And yet, they sent her back without even allowing her to contest,” stated her attorney, Claudia Cañizares. The lawyer claims she attempted to file a motion to review the case, but ICE rejected her request, citing that her client was no longer in the country — a version disputed by Cañizares.
The Sánchez case isn’t isolated. According to investigations by NBC6 and Associated Press, several mothers have recently been arrested during administrative appointments with immigration officials, denied legal assistance and family contact, before being swiftly deported to their countries of origin.
A similar situation involves a pregnant Honduran national, arrested in Louisiana with her two daughters: one two years old — an American citizen — and another eleven years old. Lawyers argue the younger child should have remained with her American father. Federal Judge Terry Doughty expressed “strong concerns” about an expedited process that appears to have disregarded the fundamental rights of minor citizens.
“We strongly suspect that the government has deported an American citizen child without any meaningful process,” wrote the judge in a court order, announcing a hearing scheduled for May 16, according to NBC 6.
Human rights advocates argue these situations demonstrate a “growing abuse of power” by the Trump administration, which returned to office this January.
The ACLU, National Immigration Project, and allied organizations condemn these shadow deportations of mothers and citizen children, carried out without transparency or respect for fundamental judicial procedures.
“These mothers weren’t even given the chance to decide if their children should stay. They were arrested, separated, and deported. It’s brutal, it’s inhumane,” said Gracie Willis, an immigrant rights attorney, as reported by NBC6 Florida.
In Tampa, a massive protest formed outside the courthouse demanding Heidy Sánchez’s return. Her distraught husband held their young daughter close as protesters waved signs calling for an end to family separations: “Bring her home” and “Families belong together.”
From Cuba, Sánchez shared a moving message: “This fight isn’t just for me. It’s for all mothers, all torn-apart families. Thank you to everyone raising their voice,” according to NBC 6.
While the Trump administration emphasizes the need for border security, these deportations raise critical questions about balancing strict law enforcement with protecting fundamental human rights — especially concerning U.S.-born children.
According to Attorney Cañizares, these decisions go beyond administrative matters. “They’re following orders. They have to meet a daily deportation quota, regardless of the human stories behind it,” she stated.
Despite missing one hearing in 2019, Heidy Sánchez had since diligently attended all her ICE appointments. However, for the authorities, this compliance now appears insufficient.
