The lawsuit argues her removal violated the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Administrative Procedure Act and the Due Process Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Sacramento woman who has lived in the United States for nearly three decades is suing the federal government after she said she was deported despite having protections under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez filed the federal lawsuit on Wednesday, seeking to return to the United States. She was deported to Mexico after an immigration interview in Sacramento, according to a news release from her attorney.
Estrada Juarez has held DACA status since 2013 and has lived in Sacramento for 27 years. According to her attorneys’ news release, she was removed from the country despite those protections and without being given notice of a lawful removal order or the chance to appear before an immigration judge.
On Feb. 18, 2026, Estrada Juarez went to a scheduled “adjustment-of-status” interview with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in Sacramento alongside her 22-year-old daughter, who is a U.S. citizen. Instead of completing the interview, she was detained and deported to Mexico the following day.
“Maria’s deportation was unlawful and violated basic principles of due process. She had a valid DACA status, she appeared for her immigration appointment as instructed, and she should never have been removed from the country. Through this lawsuit, we are asking the court to order the government to correct this violation of the law and return Maria to the United States immediately,” said Attorney Stacy Tolchin.
Estrada Juarez remains in Mexico and is separated from her family and community in Sacramento.
The lawsuit asks the court to order the federal government to facilitate her return to the United States and restore her to the status she held before she was removed. Attorneys also requested an emergency court order directing the government to return her while the case proceeds.
“I came to the United States as a child, and it is the only home I have ever truly known. I built my life in Sacramento, raised my daughter there, and worked hard for years under DACA to support my family. I followed the rules and showed up to my immigration appointment believing I was taking the next step toward stability. Instead, I was taken away from my daughter and forced out of the country overnight. I just want the chance to return home to my family and the life we built together,” Estrada Juarez said.
The lawsuit argues her removal violated the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Administrative Procedure Act and the Due Process Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
Mother deported during green card interview in Sacramento
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