Congressional leader advocates for Fairfield mom of 4

Fairfield mother Maribel Trujillo Diaz and her family.

Fairfield mother Maribel Trujillo Diaz and her family.

The head of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus took up the cause of Fairfield mother Maribel Trujillo Diaz with the nation's Homeland Security secretary Wednesday, a day after family and supporters feared the mother of four would be flown back to Mexico.

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As of late Wednesday, Trujillo, a mother of four children ages 3 through 14 who has lived in the country since 2002, remained in the country. At last report, she was in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Louisiana.

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In her letter to John F. Kelly, secretary of Homeland Security, Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, D-N.M., who is also chairwoman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, wrote: “I urge you to exercise your authority and discretion and immediately take steps to stop ICE agents from targeting and deporting mothers with U.S. citizen children. It is alarming to see ICE use resources and personnel to go after hardworking, immigrant mothers and fathers with no criminal record instead of focusing all of its efforts, resources and manpower on detaining and removing dangerous criminals.”

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While supporters argue Trujillo has broken no laws, others, including state Rep. Candice Keller, R-Middletown, and Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones note entering the country illegally itself is breaking the law.

Lujan Grisham in her letter argued despite ICE’s limited resources, “we know that ICE is not exclusively targeting hardened criminals as the (President Donald Trump) Administration would like us to believe.”

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