Local

Judge allows mother of 6 to stay in U.S. after deportation hearings

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A crowd of people celebrated Thursday morning in east Charlotte as they learned a judge decided a Mount Holly woman can stay in the United States. Her deportation hearing came just hours after she gave birth to her sixth child.

Before Thursday, Isaide Serrano already had five reasons to fight against deportation. At 5 a.m. Thursday, she gave birth to a sixth.

Her children have been praying for more than a year that her fight would be won.

"I just hope that today the judge will let her be with us and not take her away," said Cinthya Serrano, Isaide's daughter, before the hearing.

Serrano came to the United States two decades ago undocumented, but all of her children were born in the U.S.

Chris Greene, her attorney, said two years ago an officer pulled Serrano over and arrested her, for not having a license. Thursday was her last deportation hearing and a judge granted Serrano cancellation of removal, which will allow her to stay in the United States.

Greene said the judge would have pushed the hearing back considering she just gave birth. However, there are a limited number of approvals each year, so her hearing may have been delayed another year.

"This judge he was on the fence and what I think tipped him over the edge was her and her presence here today in spite of giving birth five hours ago," Greene said.

"This day is full of excitement to know God was on our side," Cinthya Serrano said.

Greene said the government will have 30 days to appeal this decision, but he doubts that will happen. If no appeal is made, Serrano will be granted permanent residence.