Dulce Consuelo Diaz Morales, 22, was arrested by ICE agents on Dec. 21, flown to Louisiana, and then moved to a detention center in Texas, according to her lawyer who says she has Morales‘ birth certificate and other documentation that prove her U.S. citizenship, reports WJZ and CBS News:
“It is an indisputable fact that she was born inside the United States. I’ve seen her birth certificate. We have immunization records. We have multiple affidavits from people who were there at her birth,” (lawyer Victoria) Slatton said. “I’ve personally called the hospital, and they confirm they do have records. They just cannot release them at this time. But we are working on getting additional evidence, but we have her birth certificate. That should be enough. She never should have been picked up in the first place.”
Last week, Maryland District Court Judge Brendan Hurson sided with them and ruled she cannot be removed from the United States for now.
“Specifically, respondents, including all those acting for them or on their behalf, are enjoined from removing Petitioner Dulce Consuelo Diaz Morales from the United States or altering her legal status during the pendency of this action, subject to further order of this Court,” Judge Hurson wrote…
In an interview with CNN Tuesday, Slatton said she was only able to find out Diaz Morales was in Texas was through the ICE detainee locator.
“I have not been able to talk to her. I was supposed to be able to speak to her in a confidential meeting…when we connected to that meeting, we were told that she was transferred,” Slatton said in her CNN interview. “Her family was told she’s being deported, thank goodness that was not the case.”
…Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin insisted Diaz Morales “is not a U.S. citizen” and claimed “she did not provide a valid U.S. birth certificate or any evidence in support of her claim that she is a U.S. citizen.”