According to reports from her family and friends, suspected illegal alien Giovanna Hernandez Martinez has decided to follow the advice of the liberal immigration group she worked with and self-deport, returning to Mexico this week. However, her self-deportation raises questions, with her family claiming that part of the decision was due to a "lack of medical care" at the facility where she was being held, a claim the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has denied.
Martinez's arrest attracted national attention due to the corporate media's narrative that she was driving one mile per hour over the speed limit when she was pulled over, as her brother claimed, which was later debunked by Leeds Police Chief Paul Irwin and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
At one point, dashcam footage of the traffic stop showed that Martinez was going "at least up to 91 mph" and "erratically" changing lanes.
Now, according to an AL(dot)com report, the same brother is claiming that Martinez's decision to self-deport "was motivated in part by a lack of medical care in the facility," located in Louisiana.
DHS issued a statement, saying, "Any claim there are 'inhumane' conditions at ICE detention centers are false. All detainees are provided with proper meals, medical treatment, and have opportunities to communicate with lawyers and their family members."
"It is a longstanding practice to provide comprehensive medical care from the moment an alien enters ICE custody. This is the best healthcare that many aliens have received in their entire lives. Ensuring the safety, security, and well-being of individuals in our custody is a top priority at ICE," the statement continued.
AL(dot)com does not make mention of the DHS statement or challenge the claim by Martinez's brother.
A fundraiser set up by Martinez's family, which continues to push the original debunked claim, has not been corrected and has raised almost $33,500 to date.
Irwin suggested the initial AL(dot)com report pushed a false narrative "maliciously to paint a picture of law enforcement" in a bad light. He added that, despite all the pushback he and his department have received over the incident with Martinez, it would not stop them from doing their jobs.
DHS has also weighed in on the false arrest narrative, saying, "This sob story being pushed by @Reuters is PATHETIC," a DHS spokesperson said on X. "Here are the FACTS: Giovanna Hernandez Martinez was tailgating a law enforcement vehicle, passed them erratically at 80 MPH, and cut them off. Upon witnessing this reckless driving, ICE and local police initiated a traffic stop and discovered she was an illegal alien from Mexico. Unlike the Biden Administration, we are NOT going to ignore the law. When we encounter an illegal alien, they will be arrested and face the consequences for illegally entering the U.S."
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