BALTIMORE — Zoila Guerra Sandoval, a 48-year-old mother, faces an uncertain future following the tragic 2024 collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, which claimed the lives of six construction workers, including her former partner, José Mynor López. Guerra Sandoval was left to raise their daughter, now seven years old, amidst a climate of shifting immigration policies and fear of deportation.
### The Collapse and Its Aftermath
The catastrophic event occurred during López’s overnight road maintenance shift, just hours after a casual conversation with Guerra Sandoval. He had jokingly asked for a batch of her homemade frijoles blancos, unaware of the fate that awaited him. Two months later, his body was recovered as the last of the six victims, highlighting the dangers faced by workers, particularly those from immigrant backgrounds.
López’s death drew attention to the vulnerable positions of immigrant laborers in the construction industry and prompted the Biden administration to extend limited immigration protections to around 30 individuals closely connected to the victims. However, under the subsequent Trump administration, these safeguards are being dismantled, adding to the anxiety felt by families still grappling with their losses.
### Changing Immigration Landscape
Rachel Girod, a lawyer representing Guerra Sandoval, explained the current political climate that renders many undocumented immigrants, including Guerra Sandoval, prime targets for deportation. She emphasized that while crimes committed by other individuals might categorize them as priorities for enforcement, that classification now sadly includes those who lost loved ones in a national tragedy.
Guerra Sandoval’s situation exemplifies the volatile nature of immigration policy. After López’s death, the Biden administration urged eligible families to apply for programs providing temporary relief from deportation. However, just over two years later, such pathways appear increasingly obstructed. Guerra Sandoval received a recent letter from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), informing her of her placement in removal proceedings.
### Legal Challenges and Future Implications
Despite the tragedy that marked her family, Guerra Sandoval finds herself entangled in a bureaucratic maze; she has experienced significant delays and challenges with immigration processing. Girod noted that applications are often mismanaged due to the sheer volume received by the agency, leading to concerns over fair treatment and access for vulnerable populations.
The immigration process has now turned adversarial for Guerra Sandoval. After applying for a work permit under a program known as “parole in place,” which provides temporary authorization to stay in the country, she was informed of her denial. Ironically, this communication came around the same time she was issued an order for a court appearance concerning her deportation status.
### Emotional and Financial Strain
Guerra Sandoval’s daughter is now old enough to experience the trauma of losing her father. In interviews, the young girl poignantly recalled, “Yes, but my dad died in the water,” as Guerra Sandoval struggles to provide both emotional support and stability for her child.
On April 22, 2026, Guerra Sandoval was seen at the Eldridge Crandell Law Firm in Baltimore, holding a photo of López in one hand and her daughter in the other. This image underscored the dual burden she bears as both a grieving mother and a woman fighting for her legal status in a country that once offered a sense of hope.
### Conclusion and Next Steps
Guerra Sandoval’s preliminary immigration court hearing is scheduled for July, during which she will have the opportunity to plead for various forms of relief from deportation, including protections available to parents of U.S. citizen children. However, the risks remain high; indefinite delays in cases are common, and policies from the Trump administration mandate detainment for undocumented individuals.
Guerra Sandoval embodies the harsh realities faced by many undocumented families in the U.S. as they navigate an ever-changing immigration landscape marked by tragedy, loss, and uncertainty. “I still have hope,” she said, reflecting on her fight to remain in the only home her daughter has known, despite the numerous hurdles that lie ahead.
Source: Original Reporting
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