wfn.org | [UMNS-ALL-NEWS] UMNS# 321-Advocates for immigrants speak out against treatment of pregnant woman

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Advocates for immigrants speak out against treatment of pregnant woman

>Jul. 29, 2008

NOTE: Photographs and video are available at http://umns.umc.org.

>By Kathy L. Gilbert and Amanda Bachus*

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)--Juana Villegas' trip to the doctor for a  prenatal visit became a nightmare when, at nine months pregnant, she was  stopped for a minor traffic violation, jailed and ended up giving birth  to her son with two sheriff's deputies standing guard.

An illegal immigrant from Mexico, she recalled her childbirth experience  of July 6 when local authorities prevented her from calling her husband  after going into labor and then separated her from her nursing newborn  for two days after his birth.

"I don't want to talk about this, I don't want to remember," she told  United Methodist News Service. "But I want to tell my story for all  women. I didn't deserve this, and I don't wish for it to happen to  anyone else."

Villegas' story gained national attention after advocates for immigrants  began circulating e-mails about her arrest. The advocates included  members of Belmont United Methodist Church, which have united with  Hillcrest United Methodist Church to form a Justice for Our Neighbors  (JFON) program. Together, they operate a legal clinic in Nashville for  immigrants.

"We must step forward and shout to the rooftops a wrong has been  committed," said Katherine Dix Esquivel, a Belmont church member and  local JFON leader. "The suffering for her, her newborn, her husband and  her family was unnecessary and cruel."

Local authorities, however, insisted that they followed protocol in the  case, and noted that Villegas had been deported from the United States  in 1996, only to return and give birth to three of her four  children--all of whom are U.S. citizens.

Villegas, 33, was stopped on July 3 for driving "carelessly." She was  arrested and jailed when she could not produce a driver's license and  presented a vehicle registration that was registered to another person.  Her three children--ages 14, 12 and 2--were with her during her arrest  by police in Berry Hill, a bedroom community of Nashville.

A night court commissioner reviewed the case and sent her to jail after  a background check showed she previously had been deported.

Villegas went into labor on the night of July 5 and was taken to  Nashville General Hospital, where she was handcuffed to the bed by her  right wrist and left ankle until two hours before her son, Gael, was  born on July 6. Six hours after the birth, she was shackled again, and a  guard was with her at all times. Villegas returned to jail July 8 and  was not allowed to take a breast pump, causing her breasts to become  infected, according to her attorney. She did not see her baby again  until her release on July 10.

>'A very bad situation'

Speaking in Spanish, Villegas was interviewed by UMNS on July 24 in her  lawyer's office while 3-week-old Gael slept peacefully.

Through her tears, Villegas struggled to describe her feelings about her  experience that included being guarded by two male sheriff's deputies  during her two-hour labor.

"I wanted to call my family, but they said no and disconnected the  phone," she said. "This was the fastest labor and delivery I have had. I  have other children and was in labor for six to eight hours. I believe  the quick delivery was brought on by the stress I was under."

She called her treatment "a very bad situation" that no one should have  to go through. "I was treated like a criminal, and I didn't understand  why I was being treated like that," she said.

Villegas came to the United States 14 years ago in search of a job and  said she worked at a fast-food restaurant at one point. She lived in  California for 10 years before moving to Nashville four years ago.

Nashville immigration attorney Elliott Ozment is working to keep  Villegas from being deported and is considering legal action against  local authorities.  A hearing on the traffic violation is scheduled for  Aug. 15 in Berry Hill Municipal Court.

Berry Hill Police Chief Robert Bennett said the arresting officer  "followed proper procedure" and arrested Villegas after making "the  determination that a reasonable likelihood existed that she would fail  to appear in court."

Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall said his department frequently has  pregnant women in custody and that Villegas was not treated differently  from others who are classified as medium-security inmates. He said she  received this classification because she had been charged locally and  was found to be wanted by the federal government.

"An important factor in this case is that this woman had been previously  deported from this country and she ignored that order and came back.  Federal immigration authorities don't look lightly on this," Hall said.

>Questioning the system

The United Methodist Church seeks justice for migrants worldwide and a  reform of U.S. immigration laws that includes a pathway to gain legal  status. The church also advocates for government policies that keep  families intact.

Advocates for immigration reform said the Villegas case holds up a  mirror to flaws in U.S. immigration law and procedures--and the need for  the church to advocate for change.

"What happened to Juana just highlights we are not living up to our  calling as Christians," said David Esquivel, also a member of Belmont  United Methodist Church. "I don't think as a church the documentation  status of anyone ought to be a dividing line. I see that the church has  a witness on this issue."

Justice For Our Neighbors is a network in mission of the United  Methodist Committee on Relief, along with the denomination's annual  conferences, local congregations and ecumenical partners. The United  Methodist Board of Global Ministries launched JFON in 1999 as a response  to increasingly complex immigration regulations stemming from the U.S.  immigration law of 1996, which brought harsher policies for illegal  immigrants.

JFON is among faith groups that plan to stand in support for Villegas  during her Aug. 15 court appearance.

"As Christians, we bear responsibility for what happened to Juana if we  stand back and do and say nothing," said Katherine Dix Esquivel.

"As citizens, we should hold our representatives accountable for passing  comprehensive immigration reform on the federal level. We should also  hold our local, state, and federal officials and representatives  accountable for treating the immigrants in our communities with dignity  and respect."

*Gilbert is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in  Nashville, Tenn. Bachus is director of Spanish Resources and editor of  el Intérprete magazine, United Methodist Communications.

News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470  or newsdesk@umcom.org.

>********************

United Methodist News Service Photos and stories also available at: http://umns.umc.org

----------------------------------------------------

To unsubscribe from this group, go to UMCom.org, log in to your account, click on the My Resources link and select the Leave option on the list(s) from which you wish to unsubscribe. If you have problems or questions, please write to websupport@umcom.org.

Powered by United Methodist Communications http://www.UMCom.org