Overview

• Erika M., a 25-year-old Indigenous Guatemalan from Huehuetenango, gave birth to a U.S. citizen daughter while in Border Patrol custody at Tucson Medical Center on April 30.
• After public and legal advocacy, Erika M. was issued a Notice to Appear, shifting her from expedited removal to standard deportation proceedings, allowing her to seek asylum.
• The mother and baby were discharged from the hospital on May 2 and transferred to ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, where they remain together in good health.
• Her attorney, Luis Campos, was initially denied access to meet her at the hospital due to procedural requirements but has since established communication.
• The case highlights broader issues of migration pressures on Indigenous Guatemalans fleeing violence and poverty, as well as challenges in balancing immigration enforcement with humanitarian concerns.