Social Media Helped to Release a Woman with a High-Risk Pregnancy from ICE

While there may be a lot of evil that comes with social media, there is also a lot of good. In the case of Carmen Puerto Diaz, an undocumented woman, social media saved her life and that of her unborn baby.

Diaz, and her husband Ricardo Loza, went to a scheduled Green Card interview last week in Tennessee and were surprised to find out from immigration officials that Diaz had an order of deportation under her name for several years.

“She had moved and never knew about this order, so it was a complete surprise to her,” her lawyer Greg Siskind told Newsweek. Immigration officials told her and her husband that if they could provide medical records that proved she had to take medication for her high-risk pregnancy because she suffers from hypertension and requires medication every 12 hours, then they would release her.

Her husband went to get the paperwork but when he returned they informed him that they wouldn’t be able to release Diaz from detention. ICE officials took her to a detention facility in Mason, Tennessee, an hour away from their home in Memphis. Her lawyer alleges that ICE officials prevented her from taking her medication.

On Jan. 18, Siskind wrote on his blog: “She reports feeling dizzy and unwell, worrying symptoms that are consistent with her diagnosis. ICE actually forwarded the assisting member of Congress their policy that detainees are entitled to take their medications, something that they are ignoring. Furthermore, she is under obvious extreme stress. IN SHORT, HER LIFE AND THE LIFE OF HER BABY ARE AT RISK.”

Siskind went on Twitter to report what was happening to his client and asked for help. “We’re trying to help a woman ICE just arrested at a marriage green card interview in Memphis who is 5 months pregnant in a high-risk pregnancy. They are not giving her her meds, and she is being sent to a detention facility 6 hours away. US citizens husband is frantic. ICE refused an order of supervision and is not budging. No criminal history. She also sees her MD weekly and the doctor’s very concerned as well. Mother and child’s life both may be in danger. @ICEgov – This makes no sense and could have tragic results.”

RAICES — an organization that helps undocumented immigrants — and many others retweeted him.  He believes ICE released his client after they got hounded by people over what they were doing.

“I’m pleased to tell folks that a lot of advocacy work from a lot of people paid off and Mrs. Puerto Diaz is home!” Siskind wrote. “ICE drove her back in a car and she arrived late last night. She’s resting and the family is obviously ecstatic. More than a million people saw the first tweet I posted asking for people to contact ICE as a result of help from several people with large followings helping to spread the word. And we got help as well from our great Congressman Steve Cohen and his wonderful team (Matt Weisman and Beanie Self are the best!). And special congrats to Johnna Main Bailey and Olga Zavala on our legal team for their excellent work. Thanks, everyone!”