A woman who was exonerated by a Texas court after spending more than two decades in prison for a murder she did not commit is now facing the threat of deportation to Honduras.
A Travis County judge formally dismissed the case against Carmen Mejia, 54, ending a conviction that kept her in prison for 22 years, according to local media today. In late January, an appeals court found her not guilty after new evidence came to light in her case showing that the death of a 10-month-old baby in her care in 2003 was an accident and not a homicide.
Possible deportation decided
A judge dismissed charges against Carmen Mejia, the Austin mother accused of the scalding death of an infant more than 20 years ago, after Texas’ highest criminal court declared her innocent – but an ICE detainer now places her at risk of deportation.https://t.co/V59NB45YAg pic.twitter.com/DjxLKP1XZY
– Austin Statesman (@statesman) March 10, 2026
Despite this ruling in her favor, Mejia was not released after the hearing.
Due to a rule that forces local authorities to hold individuals for 48 hours at the request of Immigration and Customs Enforcement(ICE).
While it is being decided whether they can be deported or sent to a migrant detention center, or released.
“Mejia managed to survive more than two decades in prison driven by the hope of one day being reunited with her children.”
“It would be the ultimate injustice if, after overcoming all obstacles and finally proving her innocence – a Herculean task – instead of regaining her freedom she is transferred to another form of incarceration.”
Vanessa Potkin, an attorney with the NGO Innocence Project, said in a statement.
Mejia came to the United States from Honduras in 1995 fleeing poverty and an abusive family environment.
She had temporary protected status (TPS) and a work permit when she was arrested in 2003, according to NGO information.
During the trial, the prosecution argued that the baby died because an adult intentionally kept him under boiling water (Filed as: Woman exonerated by Justice in Texas).
Experts confirm domestic accident
https://t.co/XY6bA6nRSW
Carmen Mejía spent 22 years in prison for a case that is now recognized as an accident. But her freedom is still not guaranteed: ICE could detain or deport her.– N+ UNIVISION BAY AREA (@nmasunivBayArea) March 10, 2026
Decades later, experts concluded that the injuries were consistent with a domestic accident caused by extremely hot water.
From the home’s heater, which had no safety devices to control the temperature.
During the exoneration hearing, Travis County Deputy District Attorney Sarah Byrom acknowledged the miscarriage of justice.
“Mrs. Mejia, today we recognize that our office failed you.”
“The state prosecuted her and obtained a conviction for what we now understand was a tragic accident,” he said.
The judge in the case, P. David Wahlberg, also asked federal authorities to take into account the circumstances before making an immigration decision (Filed as: Woman exonerated by Justice in Texas).
Judge asks to halt deportation of exonerated woman
BREAKING: Today, Carmen Mejia was exonerated after Travis County District Court Judge P. David Wahlberg declared her innocent of the death of a 10-month-old infant in her care who – the state now affirms – died in a tragic accident.
Read her full story: https://t.co/Nyb1nSNJvi… pic.twitter.com/DSMKSH8G7v
– Innocence Project (@innocence) March 9, 2026
We acknowledge that our office failed you
Sarah Byrom
“Recognize that Carmen Mejia has spent nearly 23 years in the custody of the state of Texas for something that was not a crime.”
He warned that deporting her “would be to aggravate the tragedy that has already occurred”.
Since Trump’s return to the White House in 2025, his administration has expanded detentions and deportations.
And it has pushed for the use of mechanisms such as expedited removal, which allows certain migrants to be deported without a full judicial hearing.
In addition, immigration authorities have increased arrests in the interior of the country and the use of mandatory detention.
While the number of people held in immigration detention centers reached record levels in 2025, according to the American Immigration Council.
Meanwhile, Mejía – who did not see her four children grow up for more than two decades – awaits the decision of the federal authorities that will determine whether, after proving her innocence, she will finally be able to rebuild her life in the United States or face a new separation from her family (Filed as: Woman exonerated by Justice in Texas).
With information from EFE
For more information, visit QuéOnnda.com
