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In a pressing appeal, California State Superintendent Tony Thurmond is calling for the swift return of a deaf student and his family, who were unexpectedly deported to Colombia this week. The incident has raised concerns about the handling of such sensitive cases, particularly involving vulnerable individuals.
According to an immigration attorney, Lesly Rodriguez Gutierrez, along with her two young children, aged 5 and 6, were deported following a routine immigration check-in that took place on Tuesday in San Francisco. This abrupt removal has been particularly distressing for the family, who had been residing in the United States for the past four years while seeking asylum from Colombia.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that the 6-year-old boy, a student at the California School for the Deaf in Fremont, was deported without his essential hearing aids. This has prompted Superintendent Thurmond to emphasize the urgent need for the boy’s safe return, highlighting the importance of continuity in his education and access to necessary resources.
This case comes amid broader discussions about U.S. immigration policies. A recent Democratic report revealed that the United States spent $40 million to deport approximately 300 migrants to countries other than their own, stirring debate over the efficiency and ethics of such practices.
The 6-year-old boy attended the California School for the Deaf in Fremont and Thurmond says the boy does not have his hearing aids with him.
“This is a student who needs access to medical devices, hearing aids, and he needs to be in a program where he can receive support and care – not in some detention center, not in some cell, living in squalor and poor conditions, and we are demanding his immediate return,” Thurmond said.
Thurmond is asking new Homeland Security Secretary nominee Sen. Markwayne Mullin to call President Donald Trump, find out where the family is and bring them home.
The Department of Homeland Security released the following statement:
“On March 3, ICE arrested Lesly Rodriguez Gutierrez, an illegal alien from Colombia. She illegally entered the United States in 2022 and was RELEASED into our country under the Biden administration. She received full due process and was issued a final order of removal by an immigration judge on November 25, 2024.
ICE does NOT separate families. Parents are given a choice: They can be removed with their children or place them with a safe person they designate. This is consistent with past administration’s immigration enforcement. Gutierrez chose to be removed with her children, and they returned to their home on March 5.
Being in detention and in the country illegally is a choice. Parents can avoid detention and receive a free flight and $2,600 with the CBP Home app. By using the CBP Home app illegal aliens reserve the chance to come back the right legal way and live the American dream.”
California School for the Deaf released the following statement:
“At the California School for the Deaf, our mission is to ensure that every deaf student has access to a safe, supportive, and fully accessible education. We are deeply saddened by the circumstances affecting one of our students and their family. Our school community remains committed to supporting all students and advocating for their right to learn, grow, and thrive.”
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