In a significant development, a California resident who was deported to Mexico earlier this year has reunited with her family in the United States, following a court order. This reunion highlights ongoing debates around immigration policies and protections for those under programs like DACA.
Maria de Jesús Estrada Juárez, a Mexican national, had lived in the U.S. for 27 years before her deportation in February. She was originally protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which allows individuals brought to the U.S. as minors to remain legally, provided they meet certain criteria.
On February 18, Estrada Juárez was unexpectedly arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during an immigration hearing and deported the next day. “I didn’t get to say goodbye,” she expressed at a Sacramento news conference, describing the event as one of the most painful experiences of her life.
Her daughter, Damaris Bello, 22, shared her emotional turmoil, saying, “It’s hard to describe what it feels like to lose your mother so suddenly, especially when you believed she was safe. It was like grieving someone who was still alive.”
The deportation occurred despite Estrada Juárez’s DACA status, and amid a broader trend of deportations of DACA recipients during President Donald Trump’s administration. Advocates argue this underscores the need for more permanent protections for such individuals, often referred to as “Dreamers.”
According to Talia Inlender from the UCLA School of Law, Estrada Juárez’s case is unusual as it resulted in a judge ordering her return to the U.S. “But, perhaps unsurprisingly, it feels like this is happening with more frequency under the current administration which is prioritizing speed and quotas, rather than fairness and process, in facilitating removals,” Inlender commented.
The deportation was based on a 1998 removal order against Estrada Juárez, issued when she was a teenager shortly after arriving in the U.S. Although she returned weeks later and has held DACA status since 2013, the order was reinstated in February. Estrada Juárez spent her time in Mexico with relatives, stressing over the separation from her daughter.
U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins, appointed by President Joe Biden, intervened on March 23 with a temporary restraining order, citing the deportation as a “flagrant violation” of DACA protections and due process rights. The Department of Homeland Security has maintained that the deportation was lawful, with an official stating, “ICE follows all court orders.”
Stacy Tolchin, Estrada Juárez’s attorney, argued that her client was unaware of the 1998 order and questioned its finality. “DACA gives you a vested right to not be deported once it’s granted,” Tolchin stated.
As Bello welcomed her mother back home, she expressed relief and hope for the future, saying, “Having her back home means everything to me. It means we can begin to heal, to rebuild and to move forward together as a family.”
