Washington DC (November 1, 2017) – United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) would like to express substantial concerns about the condition and treatment of Rosa Maria Hernandez, a 10-year-old girl with Cerebral Palsy, who was detained by federal immigration authorities on the way to emergency gall bladder surgery in Corpus Christi, Texas. After discharge from the hospital, authorities placed her in a facility for undocumented children in San Antonio. Various news outlets note that her doctors have recommended that she be released to family members who can care for her.
We strongly urge authorities to allow this young girl with Cerebral Palsy to be with her family and receive needed care so that she can fully recover from her surgery. Children with disabilities are among society’s most vulnerable and often have challenging health care and social support needs. UCP believes in providing those children with appropriate and high-quality care to address emergencies, help manage complex conditions and ongoing needs, and ensure a positive quality of life – a “life without limits.”
In this case, immigration-related issues have presented barriers to the child’s care, and we hope that authorities find a way to ensure she does not remain separated from her family and with compromised access to health care needed for her recovery. Furthermore, as policymakers in Congress and the Administration consider approaches to address immigration-related issues, including those related to the immigration status of children, we urge them to take into account the complex health care needs of special needs children like Rosa Maria and the potential situations like this one that could arise.
Through our nearly 70-member strong affiliate network across the United States and Canada, UCP’s affiliates help to provide a variety of services and supports to people with disabilities and their families who come from a wide range of backgrounds and communities.