Giovanna Pérez shared a final family photo before her husband, Pedro Gutiérrez, left for military training in Georgia on August 24. She admits she’s terrified they’ll never take another photo together in the U.S. Giovanna and Pedro have four children, aged 17, 15, 11, and 2. Their oldest has ADHD, and another needs psychiatric help, making medical coverage a urgent need. Pedro enlisted to secure health insurance, as a single prescription costs $500. When Giovanna received a message to collect his military IDs at Corpus Christi base—a three-hour drive from their Texas home—she felt relieved. She filled out a form and was told to bring her kids. But upon arrival, she was told her appointment wasn’t listed. After checks, she was led to a room described as a dining area, not a waiting room. She showed her Mexican passport and consular ID. Uniformed officers questioned her about her birthplace. Then, ICE agents arrived, and her children turned to see what was happening. Giovanna recalls, ‘That’s when my fear started—I didn’t know what would happen, and I had no contact with my husband.’ Agents told her, ‘Your husband being in the army doesn’t mean you can be here.’ She was paralyzed. After questions, she was directed to report to the ICE office in Harlingen, Texas. It was a violent scene for her and the kids. They said her pending petition didn’t allow her to stay, and they wouldn’t give her military notifications. Giovanna realized the documents Pedro used to enlist had handed her over to ICE. She insisted on taking the medical IDs and got them, but the nightmare continued. On September 24, she checked in at ICE, terrified she wouldn’t leave. She was held all day, unsure of her fate. Finally, she was told to appear in court because of a deportation order and needed a lawyer. ‘I thought about my kids—what would happen to them if I’m gone? My husband is in the army, and without me, what becomes of them? It’s deeply unfair; I have no criminal record,’ she lamented. Giovanna arrived in the U.S. at age six from Mexico; all her memories are here. She has no family in Mexico. ‘They can’t deport me to a place with no one. We were planning to get my residency—it breaks me in half.’ Now, they live in fear. She avoids going out, shops online, and stays home with the kids instead of visiting the park. During the midterm elections, anti-immigration policies are a hot topic. Giovanna says, ‘If I could speak to Trump, I’d ask him to reconsider. Many families suffer like us. We’re not criminals; everything is legal, and my husband gave his life for the country. Have compassion.’ A DHS spokesperson stated that army enlistment isn’t a protection or residency permit. Giovanna’s lawyer said her next court date is November 10. She holds onto hope that her family can stay together after that.
