A Maryland priest and his wife are caring for a 4-year-old boy and his 18-month-old sister after immigration officials detained their single mother.
News4 first shared Father Vidal Rivas’ story last year, as President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement crackdown began. Rivas and his wife signed documents designating them as standby guardians for 26 children whose parents were concerned about the possibility of detention or deportation.
Last week, that fear became real. A single mother going through the asylum process was detained during an appointment with immigration authorities, said Rivas, the senior priest at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Hyattsville.
“We didn’t expect that because she was doing things right,” Rivas said in Spanish. He didn’t want to use her name due to privacy concerns.
Truly, the suffering is great. You can see the pain in the children – the pain of not having their mother.
Father Vidal Rivas
Since she was detained, her children have been in the care of the priest and his wife, who pledged to help kids in crisis. The child and toddler are struggling, Rivas said.
“Truly, the suffering is great. You can see the pain in the children – the pain of not having their mother,” he said.
Immigration attorney Kelley Ortega said more migrant parents are having to plan ahead for potential separations.
“’Devastating’ I think is the best word because it’s not a situation that a parent looks forward to, having to look for these types of documents or look to make these preparations. You know, they do so in great fear,” she said.
Church members have offered overwhelming support, Rivas said.
“Everyone is approaching the priest asking, ‘How can I help?’’ he said.
The children’s mother hopes she will be released and reunited with her kids, Rivas said. If she is deported, her wish would be for Rivas to bring the children to her in her home country. She’s due in court on Thursday, when there could be an update on whether she will remain in detention.
Rivas said he and his wife will continue to be guardians for migrants’ children as long as there is a need.
“It’s truly as if they were your own children,” he said.
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