Casa Protests Pending Deportations

Demonstrators led by immigration advocacy group Casa de Maryland protested the pending deportations of four mothers from the area outside the Department of Homeland Security Wednesday.

Roxana Santos, the mother of 5-year-old Cesar Jr., could be deported in nine days. Her civil lawsuit alleging race discrimination by two Frederick County sheriff’s deputies is set for a hearing four weeks later.

Santos said she was taken into custody while peacefully eating lunch outside her job and was turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Deportation would make it more difficult for Santos to challenge the discrimination she claims to have suffered in 2008 when the deputies detained her for what they say was suspicious behavior, Casa de Maryland said. A background check revealed her illegal immigration status.

Ruth Diaz is facing deportation after calling police for help, she said. She told Prince George’s County police she was being attacked. Both Diaz and her attacker were taken in to custody. But once Diaz was cleared, she was turned over to ICE for deportation by the end of the month.

No one from Homeland Security met with the protesters Wednesday.