The New York Times wrote a story on a client from our Atlanta office, Vilma Viviana Carrillo Carrillo, a mother from Guatemala who has suffered severe domestic violence at the hands of her daughter’s father. She has been separated from her U.S. Citizen daughter since May. Her daughter has been in foster care in Arizona, while Vilma is detained in Georgia.
“The others got their children back,” she said, “I was left with my despair.”
Because her daughter is a U.S. Citizen and Vilma is currently in detention for an indefinite period of time, she has been told she may lose custody of her child.
“Vilma presumed the fact that her daughter is an American citizen would protect them. Instead, she is in a gray zone that could result in her losing Yeisvi,” said Shana Tabak, Tahirih Atlanta’s Executive Director.
