Honduran mother faces deportation after judge denies case closure, splitting Houston family
Sep 30, 2026·Location: Houston, TX
Country of origin: Honduras

Anyi Hernandez-Escobar came to the United States from Honduras in 2018, eight months pregnant and fleeing what she described as a desperate situation, and was detained for four days before being granted parole to remain temporarily. She later married U.S. citizen Patrick Keating, who became a father figure to her son Daniel, and the couple had a daughter together in May 2025. A Houston immigration judge rejected her request to temporarily close her removal proceedings while she pursued a green card through her marriage, a decision her attorney said followed a June agreement between Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and the Department of Justice ending a Biden-era policy that allowed such closures. Without that option, her attorney says she may need to leave for Honduras to pursue an immigrant visa, and her seven-year-old son Daniel may be unable to go with her because his biological father has not surrendered custodial rights.
Sources
- They voted for Trump. Now his immigration crackdown could separate their family.
Houston Chronicle·Sep 29, 2026·archived copy
- A Paxton-DOJ Deal Could Send a Bellaire Family to Honduras – Idaho Public Press
- themirror.com
- Trump-Voter Relatives Face Deportation Risk and State 'Immigration Has Been Such a Mess for Years'
ibtimes.co.uk·Sep 30, 2026
- Trump-voting couple moan about immigration crackdown as they face having to move 2,000 miles away... claiming they're too 'good' to be deported
dailymail.com·Sep 29, 2026
- Trump Voter Reveals Deep Regret as Wife Faces Deportation
The Daily Beast·Sep 30, 2026
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