Maria: Mother of four U.S.-born children held through holidays in El Paso
Maria, 39, who fled violence in Ciudad Juárez, was handcuffed outside court after a deportation order and held through the holidays before her January 20 release with an ankle monitor.
Sep 9, 2025El Paso, TXCountry of origin: Mexico
Maria, 39, who came to El Paso from Ciudad Juárez on a visitor visa fleeing violence targeting her husband, a Mexican doctor now a naturalized U.S. citizen, was detained on Sept. 9, 2025, immediately after an immigration judge ordered her deportation at a hearing. About seven plainclothes, masked agents handcuffed her outside the courtroom and took her to the El Paso Processing Service Center, where she remained detained through Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. She was released Jan. 20, 2026, with an ankle monitor, and said she and her four U.S.-born children underwent family therapy after the ordeal.
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Sources
- ICE arrests surge in the El Paso region. Families are feeling the impact.
El Paso Matters·Sep 13, 2026·archived copy
- Vismary Gonzalez-Perez v. Kristi Noem, Secretary of the United States Department of Homeland Security, in her official capacity; Todd Lyons, Acting Director U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in his official capacity; Sylvester M Ortega, Field Office Director for ICES Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Field Office, in his official capacity; Sirce E Owen, Acting Director of Executive Office for Immigration Review, in her official capacity; and Jose Rodriguez Jr., Warden of the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, in his official capacity (trial court document), District Court, W.D. Texas, 2026
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