U.S. Citizens Left 'Orphaned' After Parents Deported by ICE
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
Two teenagers from Fort Worth suddenly found themselves alone. For nearly a year, 19-year-old Dulce Zepeda has taken care of her 13-year-old sister María after their parents were detained and subsequently deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). When NBC 5/Telemundo 39 Investigates met Dulce and María in April, they were living in an apartment complex in Fort Worth. Dulce was responsible for cooking, taking her sister to high school, working at a local McDonald's, and selling their mother's jewelry to help pay the bills. The girls are U.S. citizens and have the legal right to remain in the country. However, immigrant rights advocates point out that their case exemplifies the precarious situation faced by thousands of U.S. citizen children whose parents have been detained during the government's immigration crackdown under Trump. Critics argue that rapid deportations of parents have led to what they describe as a new form of family separation, and recent changes in ICE policies have increased the risk of parents being deported before they can arrange care for their children. The girls' world changed in an instant in August 2025 while shopping for back-to-school supplies at a Walmart in Burleson. ICE informed NBC 5/Telemundo 39 Investigates that Burleson police detained the girls' mother, Daysi Muñoz, for alleged shoplifting. After about 40 days, their parents were deported, leaving Dulce to raise her sister. Dulce expressed the emotional toll of their situation, highlighting the vulnerability of U.S. citizen children facing separation from their parents. Recent data shows that thousands of U.S. citizen children are experiencing similar separations, raising concerns about their well-being and future.
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
