Vilma’s Story of Detention, Separation, and Reunification
In May 2018, Vilma Carrillo Carrillo and her 11 year old daughter, Yeisvi, arrived at the southern border of the United States. Vilma risked the perilous journey from Guatemala to flee from the severe domestic abuse she experienced at the hands of her daughter’s father. At one point, he hit her with such force that he knocked out four of her teeth. The abuse was so severe that Yeisvi was worried her father would kill her mother. With the increasing frequency and intensity of the abuse, Vilma decided to escape with her daughter for a chance at a life in safety.
Homeland Security agents separated Vilma and Yeisvi from each other. The new “zero-tolerance” policy was in effect, and the practice of separation of children of all ages from their parents as a deterrent to migration was well underway.
Vilma and Yeisvi’s case differed from other separated families in an important way: Yeisvi is a U.S. citizen. She was born in Georgia, but her family moved back to Guatemala shortly after. Therefore, while other separated migrant children were put in detention facilities, Yeisvi was put in foster care in Arizona. Meanwhile, Vilma was sent to Irwin Detention Center in Georgia.
When a federal judge ordered the government to reunite all separated families in July, Vilma was transferred to Port Isabel Detention Center in Texas. She watched mothers reunite with their children, and waited her turn. Her turn never came. Agents refused to reunify Vilma with her daughter simply because the judge’s order did not cover U.S. citizen children. Vilma was sent back to the detention center in Georgia.
Then, Vilma’s asylum case was denied by an immigration judge because her documents were in government custody and she could not understand the interpreter, who spoke a different dialect. On top of that, because of her detention, the state of Arizona began dependency hearings against Vilma, putting her in jeopardy of losing her parental rights. The Tahirih Justice Center, the organization representing Vilma in her asylum case and an AIS Co-Chair, collaborated with allies around the U.S. to advocate for Vilma’s release and reunification with Yeisvi. Collectively, we accomplished the following:
Rallied public support for Vilma with media coverage from The New York Times, HLN, NBC, Teen Vogue, Upworthy, Pacific Standard, NPR Atlanta, and El Pais
Demanded that ICE Atlanta immediately release Vilma with this petition, which was signed by almost 15,000 individuals
Coordinated a robust social media campaign by publicizing the visit of actor and musician Penn Badgley to Irwin Detention Center to visit Vilma and hear her story first-hand
Filed a federal habeas petition challenging the constitutionality of Vilma’s detention
Filed a complaint to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties asking for an investigation into the arbitrary refusal of ICE to release Vilma
Coordinated an organizational sign-on letter to ICE Atlanta's Field Office Director on behalf of 75 national, state, and local organizations
Finally, after 246 days apart, Vilma was finally released from detention and reunited with her daughter.
The celebration of Vilma’s release and reunification with Yeisvi celebration is bittersweet – Vilma still has a long road ahead as she pursues her asylum claim. Her legal team at the Tahirih Justice Center continues to work on her asylum appeal, hoping that a victory will set mother and daughter toward freedom and safety.
Read more on Tahirih’s website here.