According to FWD US, Maria de Jesús Estrada Juárez, a mother and DACA recipient, is back home after a federal court ruled her February deportation unlawful.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Maria de Jesús Estrada Juárez, a Sacramento mother and DACA recipient, has returned to the United States after being deported last month in what a federal court determined was an unlawful removal, according to a press release shared by FWD US, the immigration advocacy organization.
FWD US reported that Estrada Juárez was detained and removed on Feb. 19 shortly after attending a scheduled immigration appointment. She was not given a meaningful opportunity to consult with an attorney or challenge the removal.
On March 23, U.S. District Judge Dena M. Coggins issued a temporary restraining order requiring federal authorities to return Estrada Juárez to the United States within seven days and restore her DACA status as if her removal had never occurred. She returned home on March 30, FWD US said.
Estrada Juárez is also awaiting a decision on her motion to reconsider a green card denial, which was based on a 1998 removal order issued when she was 15 years old and unaware of the proceedings, according to FWD US.
“This has been one of the most painful experiences of my life,” Estrada Juárez said in the FWD US release. “I went to my appointment believing I was doing everything right, and instead I was taken away from my family without warning. I am grateful to be home, but no one should have to go through what I did. We need a system that treats people with fairness, dignity, and respect.”
Her family described weeks of fear and uncertainty while she was away. “We didn’t know when, or if, my mom would come back,” her daughter, Damaris Bello, said in the FWD US statement. “Our family was torn apart overnight. This should never happen to anyone. We fought every day to bring her home, and we’re so relieved she’s finally back where she belongs.”
Attorney Stacy Tolchin, who represented Estrada Juárez, told FWD US, “Maria was unlawfully deported without the opportunity to speak to her lawyer or challenge her removal.
The court’s order affirms that what happened to her was not only unjust, but also unlawful. We will continue to fight to ensure accountability and to prevent this from happening to others.”
FWD US noted that Estrada Juárez’s case highlights ongoing concerns about the treatment of DACA recipients and individuals with temporary legal status.
She is now reunited with her family in Sacramento and is expected to speak publicly about her experience in the coming days.
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