LYNN — Ludwin Lopez just wants his mom back.
“I’m pleading for everybody to help get my mom back home because it has been three months and we really need her here,” said Lopez, a 17-year-old Lynn student.
His mother, Cecilia Larios, was arrested at an immigration office in Burlington three months ago when she showed up for a scheduled appointment, said her husband, Mario Lopez.
The mother of two, who has lived in the United States for three years, had been told before the appointment that her request for an asylum was denied and she would be deported. She hired a lawyer in Boston to file an appeal on her behalf, but the immigration office said the paperwork was never received. She has been detained at the Suffolk County House of Corrections since.
“Her absence is hurting us so much, it’s hurting our hearts,” said Mario Lopez through a translator. “We are here imploring to all our congress people, our politicians, the people who govern this state, to please do what they have to do to stop the suffering of Cecilia and of many other people inside of the jail.”
Attorneys have presented the receipt for the mailing of appeal and filed it again several times, but U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has denied all requests to allow Larios to return home to Lynn, said Attorney Petronila Veras-Rizwan.
Since Larios had an appeal pending, does not have a criminal history, and is not considered a threat to the community, Veras-Rizwan and the family are arguing that she has been wrongfully detained. They also believe that keeping her in prison is detrimental to her health.
“My wife has a condition with the circulation of her blood and her health is deteriorating as time goes by,” said Mario through a translator. “I’m concerned she won’t survive this.”
Larios was receiving medical care at the Lynn Community Health Center once a week to be monitored and was prescribed several medications to take each day for her hypercoagulable condition which puts her at risk for blood clots that could lead to a stroke and other complications, he said.
She is also being treated for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, severe anxiety, and depression stemming from the violence she witnessed while living in Guatemala.
“I’m really sad and I need my mom,” said her 16-year-old daughter Mildred Lopez.
ICE was unable to provide a comment prior to deadline.
