Democracy Chronicles joins its voice to those of DC authors Ana María Fores Tamayo, Julio César Guerrero and to those of several other individuals and activists, notably Liberation in Tarrant Coalition (RAICES, Mavericks United, United Fort Worth, Faith in Texas), to call for the immediate release of María Magdalena Molina from the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, TX, where she awaits an unjust and cold-hearted deportation on 22 August 2018 that will separate her from her two children. The events that led to her detention warrant that María be given the chance to fight her case outside detention.

María came to the United States of America from El Salvador. Until recently she had been living in the Dallas-Fort Worth area where she suffered an abusive relationship. María never called the police to report the domestic violence inflicted on her by her boyfriend, as she feared what could happen to her because of her immigration status.

On 3 June 2018, however, María could no longer take it. She attempted to defend herself and the adult daughter of the abuser called the police. Following the call, what María feared happened: Haltom City, TX. Police arrested her and transferred her to Tarrant County Jail from where she was later taken to Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado. Her deportation to El Salvador, the same country she fled from, is set for 22 August 2018, unless her community and people of goodwill step into stop it.

If we fail to stop María’s deportation, then we have failed in our civic and moral responsibilities. We as the people of this great nation shall not fail where our State authorities are failing. The USA is a State governed by the rule of law. Therefore, arbitrariness is unacceptable. Also, America is a land of compassionate and welcoming people. Our founding fathers fled injustice in their countries of origin to create this nation, a land of the free, where the weak and vulnerable are to be protected and where everyone must be given a chance to contribute to the progress of society and of mankind. If we forget this, then America has lost its soul!

Therefore, the fist red flag raised by María’s story is the disregard for due process in her arrest and detention. This situation has considerable ramifications. In effect, María is a victim of domestic violence. The authorities who chose to ignore this grave injustice she suffered, preferring to deport her instead, can effectively be seen as aiding and abetting a violent criminal, her abusive boyfriend. It can equally be considered that these authorities condone gender based violence, a societal ill that is repugnant to American society. Unless the right course of action is taken by these authorities, these tags will remain appropriate for them.

David McClelland, Tarrant County Sheriff’s office spokesperson, said that [María] was initially charged with “assault [causing] bodily injury” by Haltom City police on June 3. A transcript of the 911 call that summoned officers to Molina’s home states that the mother of two hit her boyfriend “with a mug.” McClelland equally said that:

“Our deputies do not ask victims or witnesses about their place of birth or if they are in this country legally. If someone calls 911 and needs assistance from us, our goal is to protect them as best we can. If someone has seen a crime, we want them to call and report it. We do not look at immigration status when dealing with victims or witnesses.”

In so saying, McClelland therefore refutes the very plausible theory by Juana Guzman, community outreach coordinator for the immigrant advocacy group RAICES, “that the 287(g) agreement played a crucial role in Molina’s transfer to Prairieland. The agreement between Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and sheriff’s offices around the country allows a limited number of county jail officers to be trained by ICE agents.” In effect, if deputies proceed in the manner described by McClelland and if the 287(g) agreement did not influence María’s transfer to Prairieland, then how can we explain her presence in the detention center?

The only reason María used a mug against her abuser must have been self-defence. On the other hand, it can be argued that the only reason she was reported to the police was as retribution, some sort of punishment, for standing up to the dictatorship of her abusive boyfriend. It would not be too much to theorize that her abuser and his daughter were aware of her immigration status and had used the situation to silence her while she suffered abuse. Once she revolted, reprisal followed. This is a serious issue as it echoes the kind of actions modern-day slavers use to yoke their victims.

As such, the breach of due process here must be corrected at once. The competent authorities must take María from where she is currently being detained and give her the opportunity to tell her story and to defend herself. María should be in domestic violence services, and not detention.

The second red flag raised by María’s sad story is the morals, not only of the laws, rules, regulations and procedures that have influenced the decision to take María to the detention center, but of the individuals in authority who effect these decisions. María is originally from El Salvador, a country ridden with poverty and violence. Sending her back to that country after the double trauma she has suffered recently, first under her boyfriend then under Tarrant County jail, is nothing short of inhuman.

This country has the duty and responsibility to give refuge to persons fleeing conflict, not the obligation to send them right back into it. To make matters worse, María will be separated from her two kids if she is effectively deported to El Salvador. Our government and local authorities must desist from this bad behaviour of separating families. We are losing our humanity if we continue to behave in this way. Children belong with their parents. While we are a State governed by the rule of law, we must, when it becomes necessary, do away with all laws that dehumanise us and avoid as much as possible to enact any such laws, talk less of promulgating them.

America must not continue on this path. We must defend the weak and vulnerable in our society. More than our international hegemony, it is our humanitarianism that makes this country great. We are asking that the community and anyone who feels compelled to save this woman come together to demand that María be released to be given a chance to fight her case outside of detention.  Make as many calls as possible! [We have Christopher Medina’s personal cell ]

What You Can Do

WHO:  Everyone! Please help us demand that María Magdalena Molina be released by sharing the following Graphic and Petition, and making as MANY CALLS AS POSSIBLE asking for her release.  From now until Tuesday, let’s flood their office and cell phone with hundreds of calls!  On Tuesday, we will have an action outside of the ICE office in Dallas for one more push in person.

WHY:  ICE needs to know that they can’t get away with silencing immigrants who suffer abuse.  They need to know that there is a whole community who knows and is ready to fight against the further abuse ICE commits against our communities by detaining and deporting them.

WHEN: From now until Wednesday, August 22, please help us reach out to as many people as possible.  We have a huge push for calls happening ALL DAY, EVERY DAY UNTIL AUGUST 22nd.  Stay tuned for more focus hours as we approach August 22nd.

WHERE:  We are pushing for calls through social media platforms.  Here are sample tweets & Facebook posts.

SHARE OUR MESSAGE:

.@ICEgov : Dallas ICE Field Office, release Maria Molina! Victims of Domestic violence should not suffer further traumatization. Maria should be released and be allowed to stay with her children. #FreeMaria #JusticeForMaria pic.twitter.com/Ao4AWODMe3

— America's Voice (@AmericasVoice) August 17, 2018