Forcibly sent to Cuba, mother alleges no opportunity was presented to bring along her 17-month-old child.
In the heart of Havana, a mother named Heidy Sanchez sobbed as she pleaded on a rooftop for a Wi-Fi connection, desperate to send her young daughter a bedtime lullaby via WhatsApp. This heart-wrenching scene unfolded after Sanchez was deported to Cuba last week, leaving behind her U.S.-citizen daughter who still relied on her for breastfeeding.
The Trump administration's increased pace of deportations has caught even non-convicted immigrants like Sanchez in its crosshairs, a stark contrast to candidate Trump's promise to focus on deporting violent criminals. Sanchez's case provides a stark example of this shift in policy.
Two other mothers were also deported away from their U.S. citizen children, one of whom was battling stage 4 cancer [RECOMMENDED: Trump administration]. In the cases of those two mothers, attorneys argued that they were not allowed to make necessary arrangements for their children to stay in the U.S.
Unlike those instances, Sanchez claims everything moved incredibly fast, and she was never given the option to bring her daughter along. Her lawyers assert the same.
ICE declined to comment on the case, but in previous statements, the administration has claimed deported parents have been given the choice to take their children or not [RECOMMENDED: Morning Rundown].
Sanchez's daughter began experiencing seizures three months ago and was seeing a neurologist in Tampa. Her nightly routine consisted of breastfeeding, lullabies, and sleeping together. Since her deportation, her daughter just cries, according to Sanchez and her husband, Carlos Valle, a naturalized U.S. citizen who remains in Tampa with their child.
Sanchez was scheduled to check-in at an ICE office in Tampa on April 30, but her appointment was unexpectedly moved up. At the appointment, Sanchez was informed she was being detained, and she needed to arrange for someone to pick up her child. Tearfully protesting that she couldn't leave her baby, Sanchez was consoled with the offer that her child could visit her in Cuba instead.
The child was handed to her attorney during the confrontation, who carried her outside to her father. Sanchez was not allowed to say goodbye to her husband or hand over their child. When Valle asked to bid farewell, he was told no and instructed to leave.
Valle attempts to console their child, reaching out to members of Congress in an attempt to bring Sanchez back home. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla. has sent a letter to Trump requesting the return of Sanchez. Valle is set to meet with Castor's office on Friday. The office of Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., responded by telling Valle they could not assist him in this legal matter, directing him to seek help from a private attorney.
Sanchez's attorney maintains that she was given the run-around when she found out about Sanchez's detention on Tuesday and is working to file a stay of removal on humanitarian grounds to prevent further deportation.
Though Sanchez applied for U.S. asylum in 2019, her missed court hearing due to safety concerns in Mexico led to an order of deportation. Sanchez later entered the U.S. and was placed in detention for nine months before being released under ICE supervision with regular check-ins.
As Sanchez's attorney considers requesting humanitarian parole for her, they acknowledge it might be a long shot, given the existing order of removal. They're exploring other complex, time-consuming processes as well.
Sanchez painfully pleads, "We're not asking for money. We're not asking for food ... our daughter is suffering. She is the most affected one, and that scares us. We hope this message reaches the pertinent people." [RECOMMENDED: Overall] The ongoing impact of the Trump administration's immigration policies has left many families like Sanchez's in a desperate struggle to reunite and seek safety.
- Sanchez's attorney is working to file a stay of removal on humanitarian grounds for Heidy Sanchez, due to her daughter's condition and the family's separation.
- The Trump administration's increased pace of deportations has led to instances where non-convicted immigrants, like Heidy Sanchez, are being deported, leaving their U.S.-citizen children behind.
- Heidy Sanchez's case reveals a stark contrast between candidate Trump's promise to focus on deporting violent criminals and the current administration's policy shift.
- Sanchez's daughter, who was battling seizures and under the care of a neurologist in Tampa, is currently experiencing distress as a result of her mother's deportation to Cuba.
