This story was first reported by Texas Public Radio.
LOS ANGELES, CA — A Honduran mother and her two young children, ages 6 and 9, were arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents last month immediately after attending an immigration court hearing in Los Angeles. The arrest has caused outrage online as one of the children arrested, a 6-year-old boy, is battling leukemia and had to miss an appointment for his worsening symptoms.
The family had fled Honduras last year after receiving threats of violence and entered the U.S. legally through the CBP One App. They were living in Los Angeles under parole status, complying with all immigration requirements and building a life in the city. The children had enrolled in a local public school and enjoyed art and soccer. The family attended church weekly and were, according to advocates, deeply integrated into the community.
But on May 29, when the mother brought her children to a routine immigration court appointment to continue seeking asylum, ICE agents in civilian clothing were waiting outside the courtroom. After their case was abruptly dismissed, the agents arrested them in the hallway.
According to Elora Mukherjee, director of the Immigrant Rights Clinic at Columbia Law School, the children were visibly terrified. One ICE agent reportedly lifted his shirt to reveal a gun, prompting the 6-year-old boy to urinate on himself in fear. “No one offered him a change of clothing for many hours,” Mukherjee said.
The family was taken to the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas, where they have been held for weeks.
“This family came to the United States seeking safety, but inhumane policies are preventing them from seeking necessary medical care,” said Kate Gibson Kumar, a staff attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project Beyond Borders.
A federal lawsuit has now been filed in San Antonio challenging the arrests.
