Dr. Rubeliz Bolívar, a Venezuelan emergency medicine resident at South Texas Health System in McAllen, Texas, was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at McAllen International Airport on Saturday morning while traveling with her 5-year-old U.S. citizen daughter to California for a scheduled asylum case appointment. Dr. Bolívar holds a valid work permit through 2030 and has an active asylum case and pending green card application. She was transferred to ICE custody at El Valle Detention Center. CBP stated she had overstayed her visa since 2017. Her daughter was placed in the care of a relative. Dr. Bolívar missed an asylum interview appointment her husband, Milenko Faria, was scheduled to attend. ACEP and EMRA have advocated for her release and called for a national-interest exemption for physicians.