Freedom remains elusive for wrongly imprisoned Dallas mother

Yadira and her family

"Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves." - Abraham Lincoln

Every July, Americans give thanks for their liberties and freedoms, but for one Dallas-area mother, there will be no barbecues or fireworks shows to enjoy with her family. Yadira Verdusco has been jailed in North Texas since March on a federal charge of illegal reentry into the United States. She has not been granted a hearing to present her case that she entered the country legally 14 years ago.

"Yadira's case is one of the most egregious miscarriages of justice I have ever seen," said Ralph Isenberg of the Isenberg Center for Immigration Empowerment (ICIE), Verdusco's lone advocate in her struggle to be heard. "Ever since she was arrested in March, Yadira has never had the chance to give her side of the case, not even at her arraignment. All a judge has heard is the government's claim that she is in the country illegally. This entire situation is a violation of both immigration and constitutional law. She has never had the chance to face and challenge her accusers. She has had no due process. Her treatment is no less than cruel or unusual punishment, and this sort of extreme family separation happens all the time to people accused of immigration violations."


In addition to her claims of innocence, Verdusco meets the legal requirements for bail until her trial, but has not been granted a hearing. Verdusco is married to an American citizen and has American-born children. Her son currently serves in the United States Marine Corps. She also has a medical condition that requires constant treatment. Any one of these situations would qualify Verdusco for bond, but the government never disclosed them to her judge. Isenberg has asked three different judges to hold an emergency bond hearing to present her case, but none have responded.

"This sort of situation should not happen in America," Isenberg said. "Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has released people accused of criminal acts, but kept this mother behind bars. She was a teacher for Dallas County Community Colleges and worked at Medical City Dallas. She deserves to be home on bond until her case is heard by a judge."

The government recently moved Verdusco's trial date from August to September, ensuring she will remain jailed and away from her family even longer. Independence Day will just be another Thursday behind bars.

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The Isenberg Center for Immigration Empowerment (ICIE) is "a resort of last hope” for foreign nationals. People come to ICIE because the system has failed, and as a result, someone is facing a wrongful deportation. Since their founding in 2011, ICIE has helped hundreds of deserving families, and provides all services pro-bono. The organization deals with the entire family unit, from teaching the basic fundamentals behind community service, to English education, to individualized counseling to build positive mental health. ICIE has established a fund to underwrite the legal fees incurred by foreign nationals in the immigration court process. To support this fund, click here to make a donation by PayPal.