U.S. Deports Pastor’s Wife After Nearly 30 Years in the Country

A Florida woman who had lived in the United States for nearly 30 years was detained by ICE last week and subsequently deported to her home country, despite trying for years to gain her citizenship legally.

Maria Isidro was detained by ICE and deported back to Mexico last week. Her daughter, Daniella Isidro, took to Instagram to tell her mother's story, which has been picked up by multiple local media outlets.

On Saturday, June 14, Daniella shared a videomontage of family photos featuring her mother. She wrote that Maria came into the U.S. in 1998 seeking life-saving medical care for one of her children.

She eventually received assistance at UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida, and found a home in Live Oak. She also found work as a babysitter while her husband became a pastor.

"She continue to do things the legal way to be here and we were finally getting progress until now when they detained and deported her even with approvals to be here in this country [sic]," Daniella wrote on Instagram.

Speaking to ABC affiliate WCJB, Daniella shared that her brother filed a petition in 2023—after turning 21—to sponsor Maria for legal citizenship. The petition is reportedly still under review.

She had been subjected to removal before, but this was repeatedly halted at the discretion of government officials. Daniella said that her mother was reporting for an immigration check-in when she was taken to an ICE detention center.

She was transported through several detention centers before ending up at one in Texas. Then, on Wednesday night, June 10, her family received a call informing them that Maria was no longer at the Texas facility—she had been deported to Mexico.

During her time in detention, Maria was allegedly denied medication, "even with proof from her doctors that she is diabetic," Daniella said.

She added that Maria "was denied to speak with her lawyer, denied a translator (people wanting to comment that it's been two decades she should've learn English, reading and speaking are two completely different things), and also denied the right to due process."

Despite being the one left in Mexico with only the clothes on her back, Maria has been consoling her loved ones, especially her children. "She just keeps telling us to be strong, and I think now more than ever, I want to be stronger for her," Daniella said.

She and her family are heartbroken that their mother's case has reached this stage, and they're all hoping for a fair review.