Deported After Traffic Stop: Nursing Grad Vilma Palacios' Story

Deportation of a Nursing Graduate

• 💔 Vilma Palacios, a 22-year-old nursing school graduate, was deported to Honduras after being brought to the U.S. at age six.
• 🎓 She graduated from LSU nursing school in May and was part of the school's scholars program.
• 🚫 Palacios had a pending asylum case and regularly checked in with authorities, being told her case was still processing.

Circumstances of Detention and Deportation

• 🚗 In June, after a traffic stop for a tag renewal inspection, Palacios was pulled over, handcuffed, and taken to a detention facility.
• ⛓️ She spent six months in detention before being put in shackles and deported to Honduras three weeks prior to the report.
• 😥 Palacios described the experience as inhumane, noting an officer tightened her cuff when she needed to use the restroom.

Perspective on Immigration Policies

• 💬 Palacios, now living with her grandmother in Honduras, still dreams of becoming a nurse in the U.S.
• ⚖️ She acknowledges that some immigration policies are necessary due to issues with