Featured Image Credit: Texas Civil Rights Project
Topics: US News, Politics, Donald Trump, Health
Mia Williams
Topics: US News, Politics, Donald Trump, Health
A 10-year-old girl with brain cancer has been deported from the US with her family following Donald Trump's 'largest deportation programme in history'.
Trump has received backlash after his immigration authority removed the little girl, along with her siblings and parents, despite receiving treatment for brain cancer.
When he was elected as president in 2024, the Republican leader promised to deliver the 'largest deportation programme in history', and to see an end to birthright citizenship.
The family were on their way to an emergency medical checkup for their daughter having travelled from Rio Grande, Texas, to Houston, where her specialists were based.
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But their worst nightmare came true when they were stopped at an immigration checkpoint by Customs and Border Protection.
The little girl is a US citizen, but her parents were arrested for not providing legal immigration documentation, despite the mother attempting to explain their unique circumstances.
Letters from their doctors and lawyers to officers at the border were previously deemed sufficient enough to remain in the country.
Four other children, whose identities are being protected - all but one born in the US - were in the car with the parents when they were detained by authorities.
The parents were then forced to make a difficult decision to either return to Mexico as a family or leave their children behind in the US, which they ultimately didn't choose to do.
It is now known that the family's 15-year-old son also has a potentially life-threatening heart condition, for which he is not being treated in Mexico.
Despite Trump declaring he was going to target criminals first as part of his plan, this family have been deported as a result.
The reason behind this is that undocumented parents living in the US are now arrested and face deportation.
It is then up to them to make the unthinkable decision of whether to bring their children with them, or leave them behind in America.
But if they choose to leave the children, there is a strong possibility that they will end up in foster care.
Speaking to NBC, the mum said: "The authorities have my children’s lives in their hands.
"The fear is horrible. I almost can’t explain it, but it’s something frustrating, very tough, something you wouldn’t wish on anyone."
The little girl was diagnosed with brain cancer just last year and had surgery to remove the tumour.
She was, however, receiving regular treatment to monitor her recovery before the family were deported to Mexico.