On April 6, my mom Martha was returning home from visiting her sister in Mexico when she was stopped at the border. She was told her driver’s license was expired and that she needed other documentation to cross. Martha was not allowed to return home and was told to stay in Mexico until she had the proper documents. A couple of weeks later, she tried to speak with someone at the immigration office to explain her situation, but was turned away and told to come back on a specific date. On June 1, my brother and I drove to Mexico to bring Martha back, believing that with her documentation, she would be allowed to cross. When we arrived at the border, we were told to go inside due to her expired license. I was not allowed to accompany her. The officers took her in alone, and later told us they would give us her belongings because she was being detained for trying to cross illegally, even though she had her documents. We were held for four hours before being told we could leave, but without our mother. Martha was transferred to the El Paso County jail and is now in federal custody, waiting to speak to a judge.

Martha is 75 years old, elderly, and has medical issues. She has no criminal record, no removal orders, and has lived a peaceful, hardworking life in the US. The suddenness and cruelty of her detention has left our family devastated and scrambling for support. We are raising funds to help cover legal representation and court fees. Every donation, no matter the size, brings hope and helps lighten this burden. Please consider donating or sharing Martha’s story. Thank you for your support.