What began with an arrest outside a home has become a symbol of the harshness and inhumanity of immigration policy. Yolanda Magallón Pérez, a 50-year-old undocumented mother, was detained by ICE agents. The officers initially came to arrest her son, Jonathan Tejeda-Pérez, who had a record of minor offenses. But when Yolanda asked the agents why they were arresting her son, she herself became their target. Lacking valid immigration status, she was also taken into custody – despite having no criminal record.
The consequences are particularly devastating for Xitlali Tejeda, Yolanda’s 21-year-old daughter. Xitlali suffers from osteosarcoma, an aggressive form of bone cancer that has left her wheelchair-bound. She relies on constant care. Until her mother’s arrest, Yolanda was her primary caregiver – helping her bathe, dress, and manage daily needs. With both her mother and brother detained, Xitlali was left alone, overwhelmed and desperate.
The case has sparked a wave of outrage. Human rights organizations are denouncing the severity of ICE’s actions and demanding the release of Yolanda Magallón Pérez.
“It is inhumane to separate a mother and primary caregiver from her daughter battling cancer,” said a spokesperson for Our Humanity CA. “This is not border protection; this is the destruction of humanity.”
The case has become a focal point in national debates about immigration and human dignity. The Tejeda family has become a symbol of the uncertainty faced by millions of undocumented families across the United States.
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