A 10-year-old girl suffering from cerebral palsy was detained on her way to receive a gallbladder surgery on October 24, due to her apprehension for being an undocumented immigrant. According to a United States Senate News Release, this incident took place en route to Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas. According to official reports, armed immigration agents arrested the child from in her hospital bed as she was recovering in post-op.
There have been ongoing violations of federal policies concerning the issue of immigration enforcement at sensitive locations, and U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley are calling for an investigation. Some of these sensitive locations include schools, hospitals and religious institutions.
The child and her cousin were reportedly questioned for about 30 minutes and were notified by the immigration officers that they would be processed for deportation following the surgery, and were then followed to the hospital. Agents kept watch at the door before allegedly taking her from her hospital bed while she was in recovery and arresting her, even when lawyers from the hospital asked them to leave. They kept her under the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, and she was released on November 3rd.
Oregon senators Wyden and Merkley are asking for the launch of an investigation into violations of the sensitive locations policy, and have sent out a letter to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke and Acting Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan. The letter details the report of the incident and stating, “If these reports are accurate, these actions are not only horrifying—they are also an egregious violation of established Department policy.” This letter has been signed by 14 of their colleagues, including former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.
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