In a statement issued this afternoon, DHS said, “Our officers made multiple attempts to get the mother inside the house to take custody of her child. Officers even assured her that they would NOT take her into custody. She refused to accept custody of the child. The father told officers he wanted the child to remain with him.”
DHS noted that parents get to choose if they want to be deported with their child, or if they want their child to be placed with a person chosen by the parent.
“Our officers’ primary concern during the entire operation was the safety and welfare of the child,” added DHS. “Following the mother’s abandonment of the child, officers abided by the father’s wishes to keep the child with him. Father and son are together at Dilley.”
