Guatemalan woman who gave birth in Arizona after desert trek avoids fast-track deportation
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Border wall construction called 'a waste of time; waste of money'
Border wall construction efforts and their effects on the area and wildlife of Quitobaquito Springs, Arizona, are discussed on Feb. 3, 2025.
A Guatemalan woman who gave birth in Tucson after crossing the Arizona desert while 35 weeks pregnant has been released from the hospital with her baby and transferred to an immigration processing center, according to her lawyer.
The woman no longer appears to be at risk of rapid deportation proceedings and has been given a notice to appear, placing her in normal deportation proceedings.
Luis Campos, a Tucson-based immigration attorney representing the woman, welcomed the news.
"This is very good news as it places her in regular deportation proceedings, as opposed to expedited proceedings," Campos wrote to The Arizona Republic on May 3. "Regular proceedings place her in (the) immigration court system with an opportunity to fight her case and ask for asylum."
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The attorney spoke with the woman for the first time on the night of May 2. Identified as Erika M. by Campos, the woman told him that both she and her U.S. citizen newborn daughter are healthy.
"(The) mother was completely unaware of the swell of support and controversy over her case," Campos said. "I believe that the public support for her and the outcry for what was happening might have helped in this case."
U.S. Customs and Border Protection released a statement May 3 about Erika and her child, confirming that the child remains with the mother. The agency added that "the woman was transferred to ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations with a court date to appear before an immigration judge."
Initial reporting indicated that the woman was facing expedited removal. She had the option to either bring her newborn with her when she was deported or leave the baby in the U.S., a CBP spokesperson told The Arizona Daily Star.
It's not yet known if the woman will be released from federal custody pending her immigration hearing.
Erika M. wandered the desert for two days with only a water bottle after entering the U.S. near the Tres Bellotas Ranch, approximately 74 miles east of Tucson. She made the trek almost nine months pregnant, leaving her home country "for fear of violence," her attorney said.
Have any news tips or story ideas about the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona? Reach the reporter at rromeroruiz@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @raphaeldelag.
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