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By Billal Rahman
Immigration Reporter
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A Texas mother who has lived in the United States for nearly four decades was detained in her driveway by federal immigration agents, leaving her family devastated and fighting for her release.
Exclusive footage obtained by Newsweek shows Angela Cristina Gonzalez Cardona, 50, hugging her son, who is autistic, moments before masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents take her away outside her home in Laredo.
Her daughter, Claudia Gonzalez, told Newsweek Angela was preparing to leave for work in the early morning hours when ICE agents suddenly surrounded her vehicle.
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Claudia claimed that ICE agents said that they "wouldn't leave empty-handed."
Newsweek has contacted ICE for further comment.
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Claudia, who was not present at the scene, shared details of the incident based on what her family had recounted.
"She was pulling out of her driveway, and her boyfriend got out to move the trash cans. They parked in front and behind her and then started harassing my mom's boyfriend. They tried to take him, but he was telling them he was a U.S. citizen and showed his Texas ID," she said.
The officers then turned their focus to Angela, questioning her about her immigration status, Claudia said. She said that her mother explained that she was from El Salvador and had documentation proving she was legally allowed to remain in the U.S. while awaiting a decision on her Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) application.
VAWA is a federal law designed to provide protections for immigrant victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other crimes. Under VAWA, eligible individuals may apply for legal status without the need for their abuser's cooperation. This law is a critical safeguard for many immigrant survivors of abuse who are otherwise at risk of deportation.
Despite her explanations, ICE agents allegedly refused to let her retrieve her documents and asked for information about another individual they claimed to be searching for. When she told them he no longer lived there, her boyfriend offered to take them to the individual in question, but they refused, according to Claudia.
President Donald Trump has vowed to conduct large-scale deportations as his administration looks to remove millions of immigrants who have no legal status from the country as part of his campaign pledge.
Claudia's account is the result of that policy, the implementation of which troubles many Americans.
"They wanted to search her home and wanted to enter without a warrant," Claudia said.
"My mom's boyfriend stepped in and stated they couldn't if they didn't have one. They didn't have one for my mom, and I'm unsure if they had one for the other individual," she said.
"She asked to at least allow my little brother to take her things before she was taken in. She complied every step of the way. She assumed they'd give her a chance to show those documents but never allowed her to come back inside her home," she added.
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Families Ripped Apart
Angela, who has lived in the U.S. since she was 11 years old, has three children: a 34-year-old son, 26-year-old Claudia, and her youngest son, 22, who is on the autism spectrum and depends heavily on her care.
"I'm feeling scared, stressed, and tired, but I just want to see her home. I would rather go through all of this if it means she gets home," Claudia said.
"My little brother is having a hard time adapting to my mom not being home when he's used to her taking care of him too," she added.
Angela is also diabetic and relies on Ozempic to manage her condition. Her family fears that she will not receive the necessary medical care in detention.
"She was supposed to take her injection yesterday," Claudia said, expressing concerns for her mother's health as she remains in a CoreCivic-run detention center.
After several calls from the family, she was finally given her medication and is now feeling slightly better.
Angela, who works as a carer, is currently being held at the Laredo Processing Center, a privately run detention facility.
A spokesperson for CoreCivic told Newsweek the company "takes the responsibility to care for the individuals in all of our facilities, including the Laredo Processing Center, very seriously."
"We operate with significant oversight and accountability from our government partners, adhering to all of ICE's rigorous standards, and we have our own detailed Human Rights Policy that clearly outlines our commitments regarding detainee rights and treatment, including legal rights, safety and security, healthcare, visitation and standards of living."
The Journey
Angela fled El Salvador as a child. She was sent to live with her sisters in the U.S. but later returned to El Salvador for a short period. At age 14, she had her first son in the U.S. but had to leave him in her grandmother's care for a few years before returning permanently.
In the U.S, Angela applied for protections under VAWA, supported by her lawyers.
Her detention has raised concerns among her family about whether proper procedures were followed.
A Daughter's Plea
Claudia, who works overnight shifts in Austin, Texas, usually drives for 3.5 hours every weekend to visit her mother and siblings.
"She's the whole reason I have a degree and a better future," she said. "I don't think I could live without her."
More than anything, Claudia is worried about her younger brother.
Claudia said he is having a hard time adapting to not having her around.
"My younger brother needs her the most, and he doesn't know any other life," Claudia said.
"He's used to her taking care of him too. My brother and her boyfriend are feeling anxious and stressed but attempting to keep things going," she said.
As her family fights for her release, they are urging people to support their GoFundMe fundraiser to cover legal costs and bring Angela back home.
"I just want my mom back," Claudia said. "I don't want her to be deported."
"I don't think I could live without her," she said.
The fight for Angela's freedom is far from over, but her children remain determined to bring her home.
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