An undocumented mother from the Honduras entered the U.S. illegally and was waiting in a detention center for federal prosecution. She sobbed Tuesday when she told an attorney that federal authorities took her child from her while she was breastfeeding. When she resisted, she was handcuffed. Miguel A. Nogueras is an assistant federal public defender for the Southern District of Texas in McAllen. He says that since President Trump announced a zero-tolerance policy for people entering the U.S. illegally, about 500 children have been separated from their parents. He further states that parents don't know what's happening to their children when they're taken according to CNN. Some are told they are going to be bathed then never see them again while others aren't told anything. Natalia Cornelio, attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project, describes the experience as torture.
Oman Rodriguez-Avila was separated from his 8-year-old daughter when he crossed the border. Standing handcuffed before a federal judge, he pleaded for a short sentence so they could be reunited. Because this was Oman's second offense, the judge sentenced him to 15 days in jail. His previous offense was in 2012 and resulted in deportation.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection denies claims of families being separated. Carlos Diaz, spokesman for the agency, said via email Wednesday that "Nothing could be further from the truth and these allegations are unsubstantiated."
