TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The story of a Guatemalan woman and her newborn son facing deportation from this country brought protesters out in front Tucson Medical Center Saturday afternoon.
The woman's current attorney, Luis Campos said she will not face expedited removal from the United States, giving him the chance to make a case for her asylum.
Still, protesters gathered outside of Tucson Medical Center Saturday afternoon.
“We kind of agreed that if she’s deported, we’re protesting, if she’s not deported we’re protesting," said Katelyn Brantley. She's an organizer with Mobilize Tucson, the group that set up the protest in front of TMC.
The group says they counted over 200 people lining both sides of the street outside the hospital.
“We want TMC and other hospitals to vow to disallow ICE to actually come in," Brantley said. "They have the right to say ICE and Border Patrol are not allowed in their facilities.”
A representative from TMC told KGUN 9 that privacy laws don't allow them to comment on patients.
The mother and son are no longer in TMC care.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson told KGUN 9 the woman has been processed and has a set court date in front of an immigration judge.
Campos says the woman is in the care of a non-governmental organization.
Pima County Attorney's Office confirmed she and the baby were in NGO care in a statement, thanking TMC and the Tucson community for the "compassion."
The organizers say this protest was about more than just the one woman's story.
“The fact that it happened in the first place is an issue," Brantley said. "We want to make sure this never happens again.”
KGUN 9 reached out to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for a comment on this developing story but hasn't gotten a response.
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Alex Dowd is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9, where her work combines her two favorite hobbies: talking to new people and learning about the community around her. Her goal is to eventually meet every single person in Tucson. Share your story ideas with Alex via email, alex.dowd@kgun9.com, or connecting on Instagram or X.
