The undocumented girl who had been detained for 10 days by U.S. Border Patrol agents after she had gallbladder surgery at a Texas hospital was released Friday, a U.S. congressman said.
Rosa Maria Hernandez, 10, had been in federal custody at a San Antonio shelter for unaccompanied minors since she was released from a Corpus Christi hospital.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released her Friday evening, allowing her to reunite with her parents, according to Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas.
"Finally, Rosa Maria has been released to her family where she belongs," said Castro, whose district includes San Antonio. "This young girl and her loved ones have been through a traumatizing ordeal. I wish them the best, and hope Rosa Maria's health improves."
Hernandez, who has cerebral palsy, and her parents have lived in the United States since they crossed the Mexican border when she was 3 months old.
She was taken by ambulance on Oct. 24 from her home in Laredo to the hospital 150 miles away. Customs agents stopped the ambulance at one of the interior checkpoints it has set up in Texas.
The agents followed the ambulance to the hospital and stayed with the girl until her release, when they took her into custody.
Hernandez's parents, who are also undocumented, did not accompany their daughter in the ambulance because they were concerned about the checkpoint along the way to the hospital. Instead they had a 34-year-old cousin who is an American citizen travel with her.
Castro said while Hernandez can reunite with her family, she has been given no guarantee that she can remain permanently in the United States _ where her family says she needs to stay to receive crucial medical care.
"While this is welcome news, Rosa Maria's future remains uncertain," Castro said. "The Trump administration has not made clear whether they will proceed with deportation proceedings against her. I continue to call for Rosa Maria's case to be administratively closed."
The American Civil Liberties Union had also filed a lawsuit against the government, accusing the Border Patrol of illegally detaining her.
