Migrant Mother of Nine from Honduras Will be Dem Lawmaker’s Guest of Honor at President Trump’s SOTU Address

Maria Lila Meza Castro is the 40-year-old migrant Honduran mother made famous by the Reuters photograph of her dragging her half-naked children from the smoke of a tear gas canister thrown at rioting caravan migrants by the border patrol at the U.S. border with Mexico.

Maria is a mother of nine children, one of whom has been living in the U.S. for the past two years, according to ABC News. Meza brought five of her children with her on the migrant caravan, leaving the other three back in Honduras.

Mexican police broke up a protest of Central American migrants massed in Tijuana, scattering some demonstrators toward the border where U.S. officers hurled gas canisters from the American side. More photos: https://t.co/XJXOKIxAeT 📷 Kim Kyung-Hoon pic.twitter.com/qAZNAR4c6T

— Reuters Pictures (@reuterspictures) November 25, 2018

If you look in the back of this iconic photo you see activist photographers staging photos for the camera.

Maria will be a guest of honor at President Trump’s State of the Union Address.
Maria had nine children and then dragged them to the US half naked.
And now a Guest of honor.

Via Rep. Jimmy Gomez:

Today, Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) announced that Maria Lidia Meza Castro, a 41-year old mother of nine from Honduras, will accompany him as his guest to the State of the Union address.

Last year, Maria made the treacherous journey to the U.S. with 5 of her children, only to be tear gassed by immigration officials at the border. Maria and her twin daughters were photographed during this attack, an image that provoked widespread outrage. Unfortunately, her family was forced into hiding after right-wing media reported the photographs to be staged, resulting in thousands of people harassing the family on social media.

Only after being accompanied by Congressman Jimmy Gomez and Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragan was Maria eventually allowed entry into the U.S. and processed for asylum. Maria remains in constant fear for the safety of the four children she left behind in Honduras, including her 16-year-old son who is paraplegic and cannot walk or travel.