Teen suffers worsening hair loss after ICE detains her mother before graduation
May 23, 2026·Location: Newark, NJ
Country of origin: Brazil

Clara Linhares, a 17-year-old high school student, says her mother, Rita Linhares, 46, was detained by ICE shortly before Clara's graduation and is now held at the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark, New Jersey, awaiting resolution of her immigration case. Clara told Status Coup's Jordan Chariton, and later a Brazilian outlet, that she has experienced worsening hair loss from alopecia, which she attributes to the stress of her mother's detention, and removed her wig on camera to show the condition. She said she lives with constant worry about her mother's health, as Rita has reported struggling to receive medication for glaucoma, anemia, high blood pressure, and circulation problems in custody, though DHS says she received adequate medical care. Clara also said she fears her father could be detained during a routine ICE check-in scheduled for the same day as her graduation.
Sources
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