A Mother and Immigrant Detained

Adriana Lopez, a Mexican Immigrant is finally reunited with her family after months of living in a US detainment center.  Adriana is caught by Ice agents entering the Country unlawfully while trying to return to her children here in America. In this piece we will discuss Adriana’s first hand experience of Immigrant detention.  She reveals that she is an Immigrant raising her family in America. This journey began with her return to Mexico to visit her dying father one last time. On her return from Mexico back to America is when she is captured and detained by ICE. Adriana provides detail into her experience of life away from her children while in detainment. Her children were located in the same country she was being held in as American Citizens.  She divulges the details of the trip's risks to cross over the United States Boarded. She had to do and pay a lot to even attempt to cross the border. What her experience was as the system is within as a Detainee. She satiated “Do you know what it's like to try and do anything to get to your children and in that process have that very thing keep you away”. If she's ready to share her current status with us. In recent years since the previous presidency bigotry, hate and unfortunate procedures have greatly impacted immigrants seeking a better way of living. In the media Immigrants a portrayed as drug dealers, sex traffickers, murderers and more. This story aims to humanize the experience of immigrants through the first hand look of a woman, a mother, an immigrant. This would come from a first hand account through an interview. More immigrant stories like hers need to be published to humanize the experience and an immigrant.

Adrianna first came to this country 21 Years ago. She entered this country illegally. She stated that while she had tried to take the legal route to becoming a citizen of the United States of America the process was far too difficult and accessible to her. While Mexico was her home she weighed the risk of continuing her life there and the risks of crossing into America. “Where I grew up there was no life for me or my children”. She decided that she wanted her Children to have a better life and came to America. Fast Forward Seventeen years Adreanna had built a life in America. Adrianna Had worked, Housed and gave a Life to her Children. She had Four children In her time here in America, all born and raised US citizens. Her children went to American Public School their entire lives here in America.

Adrianna  later Finds out that her father had fallen ill and this would maybe be her last opportunity to see him before his passing and he could no longer travel to see her. Adreanna decided  that she was going to see her father one last time. Crossing into Mexico was no problem at all and would be difficult was her return.  She had to because she says “I knew there would be a risk but my papa needed me and I wanted my youngest to meet him”. She flew into Mexico with her two youngest children to say her farewells. Once she decided to return to America She Put her children Safely back on a Plane to America because as citizens it was easy for them to make their return. Unfortunately despite the life she and her family had built in America Adriana was not a citizen and would have to return though other methods and illegal channels. She knew it was risky but said she thought to herself  “ I had done it once before I could do it again I guess I was naive cause times change”. Adrianna  First sought her return via a coyote. A coyote is a person who is paid to bring through the long journey to the board into America. Unfortunately the coyote she had paid for left her stranded and she had to try and find her way to and through the border and this was when she was first detained. Once she was detained she was later Deported back into Mexico. Although she was caught she did risk the trip again because she couldn’t give up as a mother her children were on the other side in America. She paid another coyote and this time the cartel took her money and phone and once again was left to fend for herself. Unsurprisingly she was once again caught. Unfortunately for her she was already previously deported for trying to cross the US border and this time she was not deported and instead was detained and held for committing this crime. She said “ I was devastated and I had no idea what to do or how long I'd be there or anything and no one was much help”.  She was finally able to reach out to a friend who had been caring for her children while away and knew her children were safe at home but had no idea when she would be able to return. I told her “ please please I need your help. I don't know what to do. I don't have a lawyer please and she told me she could see what she could do”. So she sat at the detainment center just waiting. She ate sleepy and with nothing else to do made a purchase and chose out of trash for her children. Adrian barely heard anything except every now and then about her case and the lack of improvement to get out. “I found out that citizenship would take years and I didnt have that to be here. I had my children to think about ''. After a long battle she was released but not an American back into Mexico and her only choice was to try again and return to her children. She did make it back to America and was reunited with her children.