The decision could be made in hours.
And if we take action to support this family, we moms could make all the difference.
Maria Isabel Zavala lived in Lancaster, California for ten years, where she sought to provide the best life possible for her three younger children. The family is part of the fabric of their community. Two of Maria's children now have temporary protection from deportation thanks to the "Deferred Action" program, and one is a US Citizen.
But a few years ago, Maria faced a terrible dilemma.
Maria's family is split by the border, and her oldest daughter lives back in Mexico. That daughter was facing serious surgery - it was a matter of life or death.
Here, Maria's struggle as a mom ran into one of the greatest injustices of our time - our nation's failure to create a reasonable immigration process. She hadn't been able to see her daughter in ten years, and if she left, she'd face a dangerous and daunting voyage back to the small corner of California that was now her home.
What would you have done?
Maria took the risk of going back to Mexico to comfort her ailing older daughter.
I know I would have done the same.
But the bad news is, once back in Mexico, Maria began to live in fear. Fear of falling victim to growing violence in her region.
As she fights for her family, Maria is also in physical pain. She suffered a broken leg several years ago, and a recent slip again put her in serious pain.
Pressure is growing on President Obama to take action now to bring relief to immigrant families facing separation, but without our voices, moms like Maria won't get justice.
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