Recently, two Ecuadorian women were injured in a car accident in central Florida and were detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) upon their release from the hospital.
According to sworn statements provided by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in Florida, on August 20th, Grace Stephanie Calero Cabanilla, 39, and her daughter Giulianna Mía Carriel Calero, 19, were involved in a car accident at the intersection of Marigold Avenue and Sheldrake Road in the Poinciana community. Both were transported to the HCA Florida Poinciana Hospital for treatment.
As part of the accident investigation, law enforcement officers visited the hospital to speak with one of the passengers involved in the crash. It was discovered that the driver, who was from Ecuador, had an expired visa and was residing in the U.S. illegally for many years. It was also found that the driver’s adult daughter was also involved in the accident and was illegally staying in the U.S. due to an expired visa.
ICE issued detainers for both women and detained them after their release from the hospital, taking them to the Polk County Jail.
Arrest warrants reviewed by the news weekly revealed that both women had been marked with immigration holds by ICE. Consequently, ICE officials were contacted and civil immigration warrants were issued to detain the women and transfer them to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Processing Center.
In response to the accident, ICE confirmed that detainers had been issued for the two women and they would remain in custody pending deportation procedures.
ICE spokesperson stated, “ICE has issued detainers for undocumented immigrants Grace Stephanie Calero Cabanilla and Giulianna Mía Carriel Calero from Ecuador, who were arrested by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office following a traffic accident.”
Jonathan Bravo, Calero Cabanilla’s cousin, mentioned that at the time of the accident, she was driving to work with her daughter and their car was hit by another vehicle, resulting in a severe accident where their car was completely totaled, and both were lucky to survive.
Bravo explained that Calero Cabanilla worked in marketing, and Carriel Calero was planning to complete the credits needed for her high school graduation before the accident. Calero Cabanilla is divorced, and Carriel Calero is her only daughter, both hailing from Guayaquil, Ecuador.
He mentioned that Calero Cabanilla had been awaiting a hearing for her asylum application, and Carriel Calero was included in her mother’s asylum application, adding, “My cousin has a legal job, she applied for asylum, they gave her a work permit and a social security number.”
Additionally, he noted that Carriel Calero had multiple epileptic seizures in the hospital and was originally expected to continue receiving treatment. Relatives tried to provide her with prescription psychiatric drugs during her detention, but were informed they would not be accepted. It remains unclear whether she received the medication or other medical services thereafter.
The Poinciana Hospital stated in a declaration that their primary goal is to care for every patient that comes to the emergency room, regardless of their immigration status. They emphasized the need to comply with relevant laws and regulations regarding law enforcement officers’ entry into the hospital while ensuring that patients receive necessary medical services.
(reference to News Weekly)