In a heartbreaking situation, an 11-year-old girl named Sofia Torres is facing the prospect of being deported back to El Salvador, where she and her family sought refuge from violence and gang threats. A judge recently issued a removal order after Sofia allegedly missed a court appearance last month, a development that would force her to return alone to the very environment her family fled last year.
Sofia, along with her mother, Maria Torres, and her 14-year-old sister, Isabel, escaped their home in El Salvador due to escalating gang violence that had already claimed the lives of family members. Maria made the difficult decision to leave everything behind after a gang member threatened Isabel, warning that their family would be harmed if she spoke out about the harassment. “That’s when mom said we were going to the United States,” Sofia recounted to a local news outlet.
The family was apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border on October 5, 2018, but they were later released to pursue an asylum claim. Since November, they have diligently checked in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) every two weeks, demonstrating their commitment to complying with U.S. immigration laws.
However, during a recent immigration court hearing, Sofia was ordered to be deported—without her mother or sister. It is incomprehensible that an 11-year-old would be separated from her family and sent back to a country rife with danger.
Sofia’s attorney, Elena Green, attributes the missed court appearance to a communication error involving a court translator. The originally scheduled court date was postponed due to a government shutdown, and when the family attended the new date, they were informed that Sofia’s name was not on the docket. They received a letter in English that they could not understand, which turned out to be a deportation order solely for Sofia.
In March, the court marked Sofia as “not present” at the hearing, declaring that “no good cause was given for Respondent’s failure to appear.” This ruling effectively denied her any relief from deportation. “I feel terrible because I don’t want to be separated from my family. I don’t want to be taken away from my mom,” Sofia tearfully expressed during a press conference.
The family, alongside their legal team and advocacy group Families United for Justice, is working tirelessly to rectify this situation and keep Sofia with her mother and sister as they continue their asylum case. “I hope the judge realizes it was a clear mistake,” Green stated. “It highlights the overwhelming workload that these courts face.”
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In summary, the case of Sofia Torres underscores the urgent need for compassion and clarity within the immigration system. No child should be left to navigate such a tumultuous situation alone.
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