Overview
- She was freed Wednesday night and reunited with her family after roughly 25 days in detention, following transfers through facilities in Maryland, Louisiana, Texas and New Jersey.
- DHS asserts she is a Mexican national who has not provided a valid U.S. birth certificate, citing a 2023 CBP encounter near Lukeville, Arizona where records say she claimed Mexican citizenship.
- Her attorneys say she was born in Laurel, Maryland, presenting a certified birth certificate, immunization records, hospital records and affidavits, and they have hired an expert to authenticate the documents.
- The immigration case remains active under ICE supervision, and she is expected to check in with immigration authorities in Baltimore next week.
- She was arrested Dec. 14 in Baltimore after leaving a Taco Bell with her sister and was moved repeatedly as attorneys reported difficulty contacting her, a claim ICE denies.