U.S. immigration enforcement separates mixed-status family

In August, immigration officers detained the parents of four U.S. citizens during a traffic stop in Florida. The parents, Abraham Domingo and Maria Leiva, were unable to produce citizenship documents after a Border Patrol officer stopped the vehicle because the license plate was registered to a noncitizen.

Following their detention, the family was separated. Maria Leiva was deported to Guatemala, while Abraham Domingo chose to self-deport to avoid extended time in a detention center. The incident highlights the challenges faced by the estimated 4 million mixed-status families in the United States, where children hold citizenship while parents do not.