Ana Kikabidze wanted to fight the judge’s deportation order. The green card holder said she believed she had a strong case to show her family’s residency documents were valid.⁠
⁠
But she and her two children were languishing in the immigrant camp in Dilley, Texas. She had spoken to her lawyer just once, she said.⁠
⁠
The judge had warned how long an appeal could take, and that would mean more time at Dilley. So, Kikabidze gave up and accepted their deportation.⁠
⁠
“It felt as though the decision to deny us had already been made in advance,” she later told us, “and that nothing I said would have changed the outcome.”⁠
⁠
🔗 Tap the link in our bio to read more.⁠
⁠
✍️: Lauren Villagran / The Marshall Project⁠
📷: Dilley photo on slide 1 by Moisés ÁVILA / AFP via Getty Images; Family photo courtesy of Ana Kikabidze; Green card redaction by The Marshall Project to protect Kikabidze’s privacy⁠
📱: Ashley Dye / The Marshall Project