In an exclusive interview with the Washington Post, a teenage girl from Guatemala, who is undocumented, revealed that she left her newborn baby in a dumpster in Houston due to her fear of deportation. This incident highlights a distressing trend in Texas, where local authorities have referred to cases of infant abandonment as an “epidemic,” despite the presence of safe haven laws aimed at preventing such tragic events.
In an interview with the Washington Post, Cux-Ajtzalam revealed that she experienced a traumatic incident of rape by a relative in Houston. It was not until the later stages of her pregnancy that she became aware of her condition. Unfortunately, due to the fear of deportation faced by undocumented immigrants in Texas, she hesitated to seek help from a clinic. Furthermore, Cux-Ajtzalam was unaware of Texas’s safe haven law, which offers protection from prosecution for parents who leave their newborns at designated locations.
The migrant mother is currently facing charges of felony child abandonment, which could result in a prison sentence of up to 20 years, followed by deportation. Shortly after the incident, her baby, who has been named Gabriel by his rescuers, was placed under the care of local foster parents.
According to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, the number of abandoned infants in Texas has increased significantly over the past decade. In 2024 alone, there have been at least 18 reported cases, compared to only seven cases ten years ago. A recent incident took place just before Christmas at a Whataburger in San Antonio, where first responders encountered a woman trying to flush her newborn baby down the toilet. Tragically, the baby passed away shortly after the incident.
Law enforcement officials highlight that desperation is a common factor, as evidenced by recent cases. For instance, there was a homeless mother who left her baby in a clothing donation bin, and another woman who, after fainting during childbirth, tragically disposed of her deceased infant in a garbage truck.
Texas has one of the strictest abortion bans in the nation, and it does not make any exceptions for cases of rape or incest. Unfortunately, the state is consistently ranked near the bottom when it comes to women’s health and reproductive care. In fact, Texas has the highest percentage of uninsured women in the entire country. It is disheartening to see that while the lawmakers in Texas allocated a substantial amount of $165 million to anti-abortion initiatives, they failed to commit any funds towards publicizing the safe haven law.
Human rights advocates are also raising concerns about Governor Greg Abbott’s directive, which requires hospitals to monitor the expenses associated with providing medical treatment to undocumented immigrants. Under an executive order issued by Governor Abbott, hospitals in Texas are now obligated to inquire about the citizenship status of their patients. The objective of this order is to evaluate the healthcare expenses related to undocumented immigrants in the state, with the intention of seeking federal reimbursements.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas immediately voiced concerns about the new requirement, expressing fears that it could discourage undocumented residents from seeking essential medical attention.
