Overview
- Maria Flores Garcia, 19, and her mother were taken into custody after reporting to an ICE field office for a scheduled check-in on Nov. 5 and were later transferred to an ICE facility in Louisiana.
- DHS says Garcia was arrested in the Rio Grande Valley in 2016 and that an immigration judge issued a final order of removal on Feb. 23, 2021, and that both women will remain in custody pending removal.
- Garcia is a University of Maryland freshman who graduated as Parkdale High School’s 2026 valedictorian and attends UMD on a full scholarship to study public health with plans for medical school.
- Community members have raised tens of thousands of dollars for legal fees and urgent costs while local and federal officials including the county executive, U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, and Gov. Wes Moore have demanded answers and sought help securing legal counsel and a transfer of custody.
- The case has focused attention on enforcement practice because it shows compliance with routine ICE appointments does not guarantee continued release and has prompted calls for greater oversight of ICE operations and transfer decisions.