Maria Gonzalez, a 32-year-old Venezuelan mother, and her two children (ages 7 and 9) were deported to Mexico within hours of being stopped for a traffic violation in Tucson, Arizona, on February 15, 2025. Tucson Police conducted an SB-1070 immigration check during the stop, leading to expedited deportation by U.S. Border Patrol without court hearings or a chance to seek asylum. The family had fled Venezuela in 2022, crossing the Darién Gap jungle before reuniting in Tucson, where they had found support through a local church congregation. Gonzalez's husband and two older sons, ages 12 and 14, remained in Tucson, separated from her and the two younger children after the deportation.