Many people who now live and work in Louisiana came here from other countries of origin, including some from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Some immigrants’ journeys went according to plan, by filing the necessary paperwork, attending interviews and awaiting their entrance dates. Others, however, have fled to the United States in fear for their lives, seeking asylum from the U.S. government.
One Congolese woman arrived at a U.S. border with her 7-year-old child. She later said that she fled to the United States, specifically because she thought she and her daughter would be safe here. The young mother was reportedly shocked and dismayed, several days later, when immigration officials took her daughter away from her.
The mother tearfully recounted the story, saying no official offeredan explanation as to why her family was being separated. She also said she could hear her child screaming in fear in another room, begging to be returned to her mother. Approximately three months have passed since that day, and the woman has remained in an immigration detention center. She has not seen her daughter since.
This situation has apparently led to a formal petition, filed on behalf of the woman, requesting her immediate release from detention. The petition also asks that if the U.S. government refuses to release the woman from detainment, that she at least be transferred to a family detention center where she can be with her daughter. The mother and daughter have been permitted to speak to each other by phone but have not been allowed to use video during their conversations. Any person in Louisiana facing similar asylum problems may wish to seek guidance from an experienced immigration attorney.
Source: aclu.org, “A Mother and Child Fled the Congo, Only to Be Cruelly Separated by the US Government“, Jenny Samuels, Feb. 26, 2018
