Undocumented Mother Facing Deportation Allowed To Remain In Maryland For Now
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Roxana Santos, a mother of four, was allowed to remain in the United States for now after meeting with ICE in Baltimore Tuesday morning.
The undocumented immigrant and activist feared she would be deported to El Salvador. She gained notoriety after winning a lawsuit against the Frederick County Sheriff for violations of her civil rights following her detainment more than a decade ago.
In 2008, Santos said she was profiled by deputies and arrested while eating a sandwich during her lunch break.
Salvadoran Woman Who Won Civil Rights Suit Wins Restraining Order Against ICE
Then, in January 2019, during a routine check-in with federal law enforcement in Baltimore, Santos was detained again. A judge later ordered her release.
Supporters gathered outside the Federal Building in downtown Baltimore just before 8am Tuesday.
Santos and her lawyer walked inside. She emerged two hours later.
One of her lawyers, Nick Katz, said immigration officials ordered her next check-in for May.
"It's always nerve-wracking because you don't know what to expect," he said.
Santos' legal team and advocates with CASA Maryland promised to continue to fight for her.
Last week, in her first interview following her most recent detention, Santos told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren she feared being separated from her children.
Through a translator, she said she was also scared of her abusive father in El Salvador if she were forced to return there.
She wept when speaking about her uncertain future.
"She's not the same woman she was before this," said CASA's lead organizer Ana Martinez.
The Trump Administration has been aggressive about immigration enforcement, calling it a national security threat and deporting thousands of people.
Santos' case also highlights disparities in how different places in Maryland enforce immigration law, from Frederick County, where Santos' issues began, to Baltimore City, widely considered a "sanctuary" where officials have welcomed undocumented immigrants.
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