The Deportation of American Citizens Has Begun (Again)

[It's been happening for decades; this is just the most recent example.]

Cory McCord, KHOU, Dec. 16, 2024

"A Houston man is fighting back after they said Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency agents unexpectedly deported his wife and four children last week. It happened on Wednesday, Dec. 11, according to attorneys. Federico Arellano Jr. was there when ICE took his wife and children. Christina Salazar, 23, as well as her four children -- including twins born in September -- were arrested, put on a plane to McAllen and then escorted to Reynosa, Mexico. "They were treated as if they were high-risk criminals," a family attorney said in a news release. According to Arellano Jr., his wife and two older children missed a hearing with a Houston immigration judge on Oct. 9, about a month after she had an emergency cesarean section to deliver her twins. She was told by doctors to recover at home. The family said they called the immigration court to let them know what was going on and claimed to have been told over the phone that the hearing would be rescheduled. They said they got a call back to show up at a location in the Greenspoint area to talk about their case, but when they showed up, the mother and kids were arrested. "The issue of Cristina missing her court hearing was a technical violation that could have been resolved," a family attorney said. Arellano Jr., a United States citizen, was there and tried to explain what happened, attorneys said. He said he was threatened by ICE agents if he interfered. He said his children were crying as they and Salazar were taken into custody. "They were shocked and surprised that they were separated," immigration lawyer Isaias Torres said."