Title: "Legal Battle Ensues: Sacramento DACA Recipient Deported to Mexico Files Lawsuit Against U.S. Government
A Sacramento DACA recipient, Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez, was deported to Mexico despite having active deportation protection through the DACA program. Her attorneys have filed a lawsuit against the federal government seeking her immediate return to the U.S. Estrada Juarez, who worked as a regional manager for Motel 6, was deported without notice of a lawful removal order and without the opportunity to fight her case before an immigration judge.
The lawsuit claims that Estrada Juarez's deportation was unlawful and violated due process. She had a valid DACA status, attended her immigration appointment as instructed, and should not have been removed from the country. The case gained public attention and support from members of Congress, including Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), after being reported in the Sacramento Bee.
According to the lawsuit, it is unclear if an order for her removal was ever issued, and even if one was, she could not legally be removed from the U.S. while in DACA status. The document she received only verified her physical removal from the U.S. and stated a 10-year ban on her return due to an order by an immigration judge, which the lawsuit disputes.
The Department of Homeland Security claims that Estrada Juarez was ordered deported in 1998 and was removed shortly after. They state that she illegally re-entered the U.S., leading to her arrest and deportation in 2026. However, the lawsuit argues that her last entry was on advance parole, which does not fall under the grounds for reinstatement of removal.
Estrada Juarez applied for legal permanent residency through her daughter, a U.S. citizen, and had a pending DACA renewal application. She expressed her distress at being taken away from her daughter and forced out of the country overnight, emphasizing that the U.S. is the only home she has ever known. The lawsuit includes an emergency request for her return while the case is ongoing.
In conclusion, Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez's deportation has sparked legal action against the federal government, with her attorneys arguing that her removal was unlawful and violated her rights. The lawsuit seeks her immediate return to the U.S. while highlighting the impact of immigration policies on individuals and families.