46 Comments
User's avatar
Justin Lee's avatar

Righting all these wrongs will be a Herculean effort, but that's what the next administration must do.

Rudyard Kipling's avatar

A favorite answer in the Congressional hearings repeated by several departmental leaders. “I’ll look into it,sir.” Kennedy omitted the “sir” if he used the reply. I think it was one of Bondi’s least disrespectful replies. This woman should be on a flight home and an official apology made.

Tom Dietvorst's avatar

Thank you Adrian for bringing it home. Stories like yours help us see the real life behind the numbers and the headlines. I appreciate the work you do.

Denise Wallace's avatar

This story is absolutely heartbreaking.I am so upset how documented non- citizens- doing everything asked of them legally- are getting deported by showing up to their immigration appointment. Maria sounds like a wonderful human being and would love to have her as a friend or neighbor. I hope this ends soon. The Trump administration is causing so much pain .

Sue Connaughton's avatar

Maria said- “I feel like it was entrapment.” She’s right. Our government is setting up immigrants who are following through with what the government has told them to do (like appearing at appointments or hearings), then snatching them up before disappearing them into detention camps or deporting them. Unfortunately, these despicable actions will not end just because Noem was fired.

J AZ's avatar

Sue - yet another immigrant neighbor who has a better understanding of America law & values than our current administration & half (plus 1 or 2) of congress.

Barbara Greer's avatar

This is so heartbreaking. Our country will have so much to repair when we are finally rid of this malignant regime. We need to bring back all those who were wrongfully deported as well as reinstate all those civil servants who were wrongfully fired to our country's detriment. We will also need a broader Truth and Reconciliation Commission to identify and punish all those who have hurt our people so badly, every one of them, from the top to bottom. Or it will happen again.

Martha's avatar

You have to be a sociopath, if not a psychopath like Noem (given her cruelty to animals), to even work in an administration like this one. Birds of a feather...I am so exhausted and sick to death of these beastly creatures.

Linda Albert's avatar

Adrian, is this the end of her story? It seems to me that Maria, has a valid permanent resident card waiting for her somewhere. She was deported illegally. Can this be reversed?

Katherine's avatar

I have known many people who work harder than any Kristi Noem at two or three jobs 7 days a week; commute by bus and walking; raise several children; and contribute more to society that Noem ever did. Noem never gave anything; she took lives, money from simple taxpayers, and luxuries from anybody.

James Kirkland's avatar

Mullin is my Senator and according to his recent campaign ads is pledged to deliver fully for King T. Rump whatever is required to clear "illegal aliens" from the U.S. He is not a kinder and gentler version of the Puppy Killer. His main qualification for the job appear to stem from his career as a MMA fighter. Nothing to see here, move along.

Alondra's avatar

When D's retake the WH and congress there will be lots and lots to do. A priority must be creating a pathway back to their homes for these wrongfully deported people. Especially those who were betrayed by the current regime as they dutifully went about fulfilling the requirements of their immigration status. I hope there are now, at this moment, teams of lawyers readying the plan to make possible a smooth return for those who wish to return to the homes, families and lives that they were so cruelly disrupted. ( I am basing my comment on my growing conviction that we're entering the doom spiral of maga that we've all been waiting for, praying for and working for - when sanity returns to the USA.)

Sal's avatar

Thank you for sharing Maria’s story and the gofundme link in the footnote. Your writing is always impactful. The saddest thing to me was when Maria said that “ in their zeal to catch criminals they’re targeting hard-working people” or words to that effect. And it seemed sad to me that she thought that their aim actually was just to catch criminals, and that somehow rounding up all of these innocent people is a simple mistake. I’m sorry, but at much of the Trump administration, including Steven Miller, who is running this show, want much more than just to be rid of the brown criminals.

Rolfneu's avatar

We know there are many more Marias, many more DACA and non-DACA persons and many more ordinary citizens who have been abused, harassed, intimidated and treated with utter disrespect and contempt by the ICE Gestappo. Their stories may never be told but they are a black stain on our country. Noem's removal does not itself fix the problems at ICE as the root of the problem are the policies coming out of the very racist Whitehouse. Policies that were largely charted in Project 2025 and executed with zeal by White Nationalists like Stephen Miller. For ICE to be reformed you begin by removing the goons they've hired and replacing them with people who aren't blatantly prejudiced against people of color and immigrants in general. Then you address the other changes demanded by Democrats.

Carol Gamm's avatar

This is heartbreaking. What about those Americans who still support this? Aren’t they descendants of immigrants?

Timothy M Dwyer's avatar

Yes! But then they preen, ‘our people came the Right way!’….except few of them can detail what, ‘the right way’ was when their people came to the US, what process they used, or how it actually worked. In other words, they’re full of shit.

Carol Gamm's avatar

Thank you. The day when no one wants to come here will be a very sad day.

Timothy M Dwyer's avatar

With the exception of white South Africans, that day is pretty much today.

Michael McGrath's avatar

I do not expect cabinet members to know the details of an individual case. But I do expect them to know the details of the law, and to ensure her jackbooted thugs are properly trained in those details. Good riddance to her.

Doug Pascover's avatar

And you get a chance to throw in $5 to World Central Kitchen. Good deal.

And it's over $9,000 now.

Joanne's avatar

Another favorite charity I have donated to over and over.