ICYMI: Padilla Speaks With Wrongfully Deported DACA Recipient About Returning to U.S., Reuniting With Daughter

WATCH: Padilla: “I’ll never stop fighting in Congress to finally provide the pathway to citizenship for Dreamers like you who contribute so much to our country.”
WASHINGTON, D.C.— In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, met with Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez, a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient and Sacramento mother who waswrongfully detained and deported. She was detained at her green card appointment in February, despite being an active DACA holder. Ms. Estrada Juarez was able to return to her home in Sacramento at the end of March, following afederal court rulingthat required the Trump Administration to facilitate her return. Padilla and other lawmakerspushed for Ms. Estrada Juarez’s returnafter meeting with her daughter, Damaris.
In their conversation, Padilla and Estrada Juarez discussed the impacts of her wrongful deportation on her and her daughter. Ms. Estrada Juarez shared that her daughter’sadvocacygave her the strength to remain hopeful. She also spoke about the joy she felt when reunited with Damaris and being back in her community in Sacramento. Ms. Estrada Juarez encouraged other Dreamers to stay strong and stay together, and to speak up when they see unjust detentions and deportations like her own. In a message to the Trump Administration, she implored them to stop separating families and stop delaying renewals for DACA recipients.
Key Excerpts:
Video of Padilla’s conversation with Ms. Estrada Juarez is availablehere.
Learn more about Maria’s storyhereandhere.
Senator Padilla is a leading voice in Congress for providing long-term undocumented immigrants with pathways to citizenship or permanent legal residence. Last month, Padilla and Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Representative Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.-03)joinedimmigration advocates and experts from the Home is Here Campaign and Ms. Estrada Juarez to renew their urgent call for the passage of theDream Actto provide a permanent pathway to citizenship. Senators Padilla, Durbin, Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) led 37 other Democratic Senators indemandingthe Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reduce the severe delays in processing renewal applications under the DACA program. In February, Padilla, Durbin, and Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) blasted DHS for wrongfully targeting and removing DACA recipients in ajoint statement. Padilla also is the lead sponsor of theRenewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929, which would provide a pathway for undocumented immigrants to apply for lawful permanent resident status if they have lived in the U.S. continuously for at least seven years before filing an application, do not have a criminal record, and meet all other current eligibility requirements to receive a green card. Padilla previouslytook to the Senate floorto defend DACA recipients from DHS’baseless claimsand slam the Trump Administration’s push for DACA recipients to “self-deport.” He emphasized that these long-term residents — who were brought to the country as children — have been working, studying, and living legally in the United States since 2012 and are vital members of American communities.
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