Pregnant woman deported at 8 months, concealed from congressional inspection
Feb 23, 2026·Location: Dilley, TX
Country of origin: Guatemala

Juana Felipe Mateo, a Guatemalan mother of two, was deported from the South Texas Family Residential Center (Dilley) while 8 months pregnant with a third child after three months in detention. She alleges ICE and DHS deceived her into signing voluntary departure papers by offering $15,000 (which she says she never received) and obtaining a doctor's authorization to fly despite her advanced pregnancy. Juana reported that pregnant detainees, including herself, were hidden from U.S. Congressman Joaquín Castro during a facility inspection to prevent them from reporting lack of medical care and alleged mistreatment. She also described being placed in a cold room known as 'la hielera' for five days when her 2-year-old daughter developed fever. She learned of her unborn son's sex only on the day of her deportation.
Timeline
Sources
More incidents in Texas
- Texas siblings tackled, detained after filming ICE arrest, file damage claimsOct 8, 2026 · Brownsville, TX
- U.S. citizen deported to Mexico after Texas traffic stop, returns nearly five months laterOct 8, 2026 · Fredericksburg, TX
- Texas pastor deported to Ghana, a country he has never visitedOct 6, 2026 · Mesquite, TX
- ICE arrests in Austin area surge over 300% since start of Trump's second termOct 6, 2026 · Austin, TX
- Houston withdraws $150M grant requiring ICE cooperation after public and council backlashOct 5, 2026 · Houston, TX
- ICE agent shoots Venezuelan DoorDash driver in back, leaves him partially paralyzedOct 4, 2026 · Austin, TX