Late in her pregnancy in the fall of 2025, Jacqueline, a Guatemalan immigrant living in North Florida, began planning for labor alone.
After her husband was detained and deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, she stopped leaving her home except when absolutely necessary. Even routine prenatal visits felt risky, she told the news site The 19th. A local clinic eventually arranged Uber pickups and drop-offs so she could continue care, but each trip required calculation: Was it safe to leave? When labor began, she asked hospital staff a question few patients ever have to consider: Were immigration agents nearby?
