Immigration Judge to Rule on Chicago Mother Detained Nine Months Over Resolved Charges
Federal officials are being asked to halt the deportation of Martha Gutierrez, a legal resident since 1990, after her final hearing in Tennessee.
By Renata Mehta ·
An immigration judge in Tennessee will determine on Tuesday morning whether Martha Gutierrez, a Chicago mother of three, will be deported to Mexico. Gutierrez has been held in U.S. immigration detention centers for more than nine months, a duration her family argues is excessive given her long-standing legal status.
Gutierrez was born in Mexico but has resided in the United States as a legal permanent resident since 1990. Her relatives state she traveled to Mexico in February of this year and was detained upon her return. The government is seeking to remove her based on two retail theft charges in Illinois that the family claims were already resolved.
The detention has disrupted the lives of her three daughters, including 10-year-old Nathalie Vargas, who recently celebrated her birthday without her mother. Irma Serrano, another daughter, asked the judge to view Gutierrez as a person rather than a case number. Mariaelena Serrano noted that the household feels lonely and sad without their mother’s daily support and guidance.
Relatives contend that Gutierrez is not a criminal, pointing out that she has traveled to Mexico multiple times over the past few decades without incident. They are appealing to federal officials to allow her to remain in the country.
Pastor Julie Contreras of United Giving Hope is filing a clemency request with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to intervene in the case. Contreras is also urging President Donald Trump to reconsider the scope of immigration enforcement. She stated, "I love my sovereign nation.. but I would never do it at the cost of destruction of families. Only God has that right. And if you're listening to this, sir, free Martha Gutierrez."
The family's plea follows remarks Trump made in a recent interview with "60 Minutes." He acknowledged that a large portion of the country believes immigrants who work and contribute to society should be allowed to stay. "And in some cases, paying taxes. And a large group of people think that they should be allowed to stay," Trump said.
