AOC Questions Migrant Mother Whose Child Died in U.S. Detention

Partisan accusations over border security and migrants’ human rights fell silent for a moment Wednesday to hear the testimony of a grieving mother whose 2-year-old daughter died after being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Speaking before the House Oversight Committee, Yazmin Juárez tearfully recounted her journey from Guatemala to Dilley, Texas, where she said she and her daughter, Mariee, slept on the floor and were “locked in a cage with about 30 other people.”

Juárez told the committee she fled Guatemala to seek asylum and create a better life for her daughter but instead watched her die “slowly and painfully.”

“We made this journey because we feared for our lives,” Juárez said. “The trip was dangerous, but I was more afraid of what might happen to us if we stayed.”

Appalling conditions for migrants, especially children, who have tried to cross the U.S. border have raised the stakes for Republicans and Democrats who are sharply divided on how to deal with the humanitarian crisis. Congress approved $4.6 billion in supplemental funds last month, angering progressive Democrats who wanted to hold out for stronger protections for those in U.S. detention.

Juárez told the committee there was no separation in the facility between the sick and the healthy, and that Mariee got sick after about a week. The clinic doctor at the ICE facility said the child had a respiratory infection and prescribed Tylenol and honey for her cough. As the toddler’s condition worsened, Juárez said she attempted to visit the doctor several times for more in-depth exams but was sent back to her room.

Lawmakers appeared visibly shaken as Juárez recounted how she was eventually able to take Mariee to an emergency room where the child was diagnosed with a viral lung infection. Mariee died on what would have been Mother’s Day in Guatemala.

“I’m here today because I want to put an end to this,” Juárez said. “To not allow any other children to suffer and die in this way.”

Juárez is suing the U.S. for $60 million for Mariee’s death.

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