American Toddler Deported: Parents Denied Choice?

Two-Year-Old American Citizen Deported to Brazil Amidst Claims of Parental Choice In a recent incident that has sparked widespread outrage and controversy, a two-year-old American citizen, Emanuelly Borges Santos, was deported to Brazil along with her undocumented parents. The incident occurred in February 2023, according to a report from The Washington Post. The girl, known to her family as Manu, was born in Florida in 2022 and holds an American passport and Social Security card. Despite this, she and her parents were deported. The Trump administration claims that parents of U.S. citizen children are asked if they want to be deported alongside their children. However, Manu's parents vehemently deny this, stating that they were never given such an option. "We were never asked if we wanted to go with her," the parents reportedly said. "They just took us." Currently, Manu is living in Brazil on a tourist visa, which is set to expire within weeks. She has no access to healthcare or schooling. Her situation highlights the complex and often inhumane consequences of immigration policies, raising questions about due process and the rights of children caught in bureaucratic tangles. The case underscores the urgent need for comprehensive immigration reform and protection for vulnerable children.