A woman who was forced to give birth while in custody
should have been released before she went into labor, according to
federal policy. Juana Villegas, an illegal immigrant with no criminal
record, was arrested for a traffic violation days before her due date.
She went
into labor while in custody, and was returned to jail immediately after
the
birth; she was separated from her infant son for two days and was not
allowed
to bring a breast pump back to jail with her.
Villegas’ treatment has raised concerns about the ways local
law enforcement work with federal immigration officials to apprehend illegal
immigrants.
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