A woman who has been fighting against deportation for five years has been granted a six-month reprieve by federal immigration authorities. The woman will be permitted to remain in the U.S. for another six months, which will allow her to fight against immigration provisions that are threatening to permanently remove her from her life in America. The woman and her large network of supporters say they intend to advocate for her ability to stay within U.S. borders.
News reports show that the woman and her husband had fled Mexico after the man was held up at gunpoint on multiple occasions; he had been a bus driver in his native country. The couple moved north, operating a cleaning and moving company. When the man was diagnosed with cancer, the woman worked even harder, sometimes for 20 hours a day. She was arrested in 2009 and deportation proceedings commenced. The woman was finally able to move her case into an appeals court in 2012, when her mother became dangerously ill. She crossed back into Mexico that September, but she was apprehended by border patrol officers when returning to the U.S. in April 2013.
The woman had been held at a detention center in Texas, but she was released under supervision. She has since been inexplicably arrested and detained at other facilities. Advocates say they look forward to getting more answers about the woman's case while pushing for fair treatment under the immigration system. The woman has been extraordinarily vocal about her predicament, drawing praise for her courage to stand up against a 'broken immigration system,' according to several immigration advocates.
Residents who are facing immigration detention or deportation may benefit from the assistance of a qualified immigration attorney. These professionals may help defendants learn more about their legal rights and options, including possible access to stays that would prevent immediate deportation.
Source: Denver Westword, "Jeanette Vizguerra, undocumented mother and advocate, given six-month stay of deportation" Melanie Asmar, Jan. 14, 2014