Birmingham immigration advocate Giovanna Hernandez-Martinez is no longer in ICE custody after agreeing to leave the country to live in Mexico with her extended family.
Her brother, Dilan Hernandez, told AL.com the decision was motivated in part by a lack of medical care in the Louisiana detention facility where she had been held for more than a month. Hernandez-Martinez arrived in the United States soon after she turned 7 years old, narrowly missing the cutoff for DACA status (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, commonly known as “dreamers.”)
Hernandez-Martinez made headlines last month after being taken into ICE custody following a traffic stop in Leeds, with police claiming she was driving erratically and nearly hit multiple vehicles.
“The vehicle came within feet of striking other vehicles and erratically changed lanes,” wrote Leeds Police Chief Paul Irwin. “The driver did not have a driver’s license but instead identified herself with a Mexico issued (identification) card.”
The department released dash cam footage showing Hernandez-Martinez traveling at a high rate of speed, although many viewers have disputed the assertion that the clip shows her driving erratically and nearly hitting other vehicles.
She recently earned her master’s degree in social work from Jacksonville State University and focused on helping immigrant students in the area plan for their next educational steps after college. She partnered with HICA, a Birmingham-area immigration advocacy organization.
More than 20,000 people had signed a petition started by her friend Emily Barfield calling for the release of Hernandez-Martinez.
“She has spent years working toward lawful permanent residency but, like many others, has faced systemic barriers and even been scammed during the process,” the petition states. “Her detainment is not only legally questionable—it is morally wrong.”
