MELBOURNE, Fla. — A Melbourne man is fighting to bring his wife back home after she was deported to El Salvador. Their two children, who are both U.S. citizens, went with her because the father works full time. 

  • Vilma Diaz deported to El Salvador; her kids, both US citizens, joined her
  • Her husband said his son Axel has asthma, heart condition 
  • He's concerned about the well-being of his family in El Salvador

Vilma Diaz, 41, lived in the U.S. for 16 years and met her husband at a Melbourne church in 2006 and got married in 2016.

The couple had two children Axel, 11, and Josue, 2. The youngest was named after one of the father's favorite Biblical figure Joshua (Josue in Spanish). 

The father said they planned to give their children the life they never could have in their home countries, El Salvador and Mexico.

In 2012, Diaz was pulled over for driving without a seatbelt. That traffic stop started the wheels for her deportation.

On Friday, February 21, Diaz received a notice of deportation and the next day she and her two kids went to Orlando International Airport to meet with border agents.

The father said he is concerned the family will be kidnapped and extorted for money. El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Latin America. Diaz said there are gang members that gather outside the home in El Salvador they now live in. 

The father said he is also concerned for his son Axel, who has severe asthma and a heart condition. Axel uses a Nebulizer to help him breathe.

The father is concerned the power may go out when his son needs to use the Nebulizer. The nearest hospital is more than a hour away from where Diaz and her kids now live.

Karen Iezze, Vilma Diaz's lawyer, said they filed for a Freedom of Information Act request to see if her client's prior lawyer provided ineffective assistance of counsel in her removal hearing after she learned the lawyer was disbarred following the trial.

Iezze said the chances of it happening are low.

Iezze also said another option is to apply to receive humanitarian parole were the mother could return for a year because of her son's medical condition. 

But, she said very few such requests are granted.