Earlier this month, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained 42-year-old construction worker Miguel Hernández outside his Dallas apartment.

His six children witnessed his detention. This event marked the beginning of a difficult period for the family, resulting in uncertainty, financial strain, and emotional distress.

The Hernández case highlights the personal impact of immigration enforcement and raises concerns about family stability, community support, and the effects of policy on mixed-status households.

Miguel lived in the United States for nearly twenty years. Although undocumented, he maintained steady employment, participated in church, and raised his six U.S. citizen children, ages 4 to 17.

According to his wife, Ana, he was a dedicated father who rarely missed school events or weekend soccer games. “He worked long hours, but he always came home with energy for the kids,” she said. “They were his world.”

Ana reports that Miguel had no criminal record and complied with annual check-ins with immigration authorities. This year, however, his appointment resulted in his detention and deportation to Mexico within days. The abrupt process left the family unprepared, illustrating the challenges many mixed-status families encounter when a primary provider is removed without notice.

The financial impact was immediate. Miguel’s income covered rent, groceries, and school supplies. In his absence, Ana has taken extra shifts at a local bakery, but her hours are inconsistent and the pay is insufficient.

Friends and neighbors have provided donations, transportation, and childcare, demonstrating strong community support. However, Ana is concerned about the sustainability of this assistance.

“I’m doing everything I can,” she said, “but it feels like trying to hold up a house with one hand.”

The children have also been significantly affected. Teachers report that the younger children have become quiet and withdrawn, while the older ones are experiencing anger and anxiety about the future.

School counselors are providing support, but the absence of their father remains difficult. “They ask every night when he’s coming home,” Ana said. “I don’t know what to tell them.”

Local advocacy groups are now involved in the Hernández case. They state that it reflects a broader pattern in immigration enforcement that often disrupts families with strong community ties. These organizations advocate for legal pathways for long-term residents and protections for U.S.-citizen children facing uncertainty due to a parent’s deportation.

While national policy debates continue, families like the Hernándezes must address these challenges immediately.

Miguel calls from Mexico as often as possible. He is staying with relatives and searching for employment, though opportunities are limited in his area.

He hopes to reunite with his family, despite significant legal obstacles. “Tell the kids I love them,” he said in a recent call, according to Ana. “Tell them I’m still with them, even if I’m far.”

For now, the Hernández family is focused on managing emotional, financial, and spiritual challenges. Their experience is one of many across the country, each shaped by immigration policy’s impact on individuals.

As Ana says, “We’re trying to stay strong. But every day without him is a reminder of how much we’ve lost.”

by: Staff