Pregnant Teenager From Migrant Caravan Illegally Crosses The US-Mexico Border And Gives Birth On US Soil
A pregnant woman from Honduras, who followed the Central-American migrant caravan, trespassed the U.S.-Mexico border and ended up giving birth to her second child in the United States.
Per a report by the Newsweek, the 19-year-old woman, identified as Maryury Elizabeth Serrano-Hernandez, crossed into the United States along with her husband, and her 2-year-old son on November 26. The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents had taken all three into custody.
While in custody, Hernandez — who was eight months pregnant — complained of abdominal pain, after which she was transported to a hospital, where she gave birth to her second child. Although Hernandez, her husband, and the other child entered the U.S. illegally, the baby born on U.S. soil is now an American citizen.
In an interview with Univision, Hernandez said that the birth of her second baby in the United States is a “reward” for her because she traveled thousands of miles from her home country to make her way to the United States and seek asylum there.
Per a report by OAN, when Hernandez joined the migrant caravan to begin her journey, she was already more than seven months pregnant. The couple arrived in Tijuana, Mexico, in late November to join thousands of fellow migrants who had gathered around the U.S.-Mexico border in hopes of entering the United States.
Maryury Elizabeth Serrano Hernández, dice que ella siempre tuvo fe que su bebé iba a nacer en EEUU y así fue. https://t.co/Xe82E4tIFA
— Univision Noticias (@UniNoticias) December 5, 2018
Per the Newsweek report, President Donald Trump had earlier said that it would only take a signature to bring an end to the concept of birthright citizenship. He said that the concept of “catch-and-release” should also be ended so that illegal aliens can be deterred from breaking the law and being rewarded.
Experts, however, have said that to abolish birthright citizenship law, it would take an amendment to the Constitution of the United States in order to “enact such a drastic change,” the report said.
The report further added that giving birth on U.S. soil has become a growing trend among immigrants who reside in the United States. According to a new research published by the Pew Research Center, “43 percent of households in 2017 that contained undocumented immigrants include U.S.-born children with birthright citizenship, compared to 32 percent in 2007.”
The case of Hernandez and her husband has also inspired many members of the caravan who have become frustrated by the strict procedures of applying for asylum. Per the Newsweek report, U.S. Border Patrol agents process about 100 requests per day, but there are more than 6,100 migrants waiting in a shelter in Tijuana.
As a result, many tried to cross the border illegally and have been arrested by the border patrol, just like Hernandez and her family. The report further said that Hernandez, along with her husband and children, has been released from custody and have been instructed to wait for their immigration to be processed.
