A Sacramento mother is now back in the United States after she was detained and deported just 24 hours after what she thought would be a routine immigration appointment in late February.

Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez has lived in the U.S. for nearly thirty years and has protections under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.  

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Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez hugs her daughter, Damaris Bello

A federal lawsuit was filed on her behalf, and on March 23, a judge granted emergency relief, ruling her deportation was unlawful and ordering her return within the next seven days. 

Just hours before that deadline would pass, Estrada Juarez was allowed to cross the border on March 30 and back into the arms of her daughter, who was born in the U.S.

“I was taken away from my daughter without a warning. I didn’t get to prepare, I didn’t get to say goodbye. I didn’t get a real chance to speak to a judge or defend myself. It all happened so fast,” Estrada Juarez said.

Estrada Juarez says she showed up on February 18 at the John E. Moss Federal Building in Downtown Sacramento for an appointment regarding the status of her green card application. 

She was denied and deported the next day to Mexico.  

“This has been one of the most painful experiences of my life as a mother, being separated from my child like that made me feel helpless, not knowing if she was okay broke my heart, in a way I can’t fully describe,” she said through tears. 

Damaris Bello, her daughter, waited in agony for her mother’s return, not sure if it would happen. 

“She has built her life here with honesty and hard work. But instead of coming home, she was detained and deported in less than a day. We didn’t get to say goodbye,” said Bello. “It was like grieving someone who was still alive. This should never happen to anyone.” 

Advocates say Estrada Juarez should never have been deported and fear other wrongful deportations are happening nationwide. 

“There was two things that happened very wrong in Maria’s case. One, it was that she was unlawfully deported because she was a DACA recipient. And two, it was that basis of that deportation was all on a removal order from 1998 that actually was never final to begin with,” said Maria Braley, an advocate with Fwd US.

Stacy Tolchin, Estrada Juarez’s attorney, called the case shocking. 

“My mind was blown. Nobody before this would have thought that the government would knowingly deport somebody with DACA,” Tolchin said.   

In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claimed Estrada Juraez did receive due process. 

“DACA does not confer any form of legal status in this country. Any illegal alien who is a DACA recipient may be subject to arrest and deportation for a number of reasons including if they’ve committed a crime,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. 

DHS alleges Estrada Juarez re-entered the country illegally, which her attorney claims is not true. 

For Sacramento’s vice mayor, a daughter of immigrant parents, the news of the wrongful deportation of one of her constituents hit too close to home. 

“The Trump administration has caused people to live in fear of their own safety and that of their families. That’s not the America that I know. This is a nation built by immigrants for immigrants, and it should stay that way,” said Vice Mayor Karina Talamantes. 

Advocates hope this case calls attention to a need for widespread change.

“What we are seeing across the country right now is not normal. Families are being separated with little warning. People are being detained despite having protections. Communities are being destabilized in ways that should concern all of us. Maria’s case makes that real,” Braley said. 

Estrada Juarez says she hopes sharing her story will help others. 

“What happened to me, it should not happen to anyone. I am home now, and I will use my voice to make sure others are not silenced or taken away,” Estrada Juarez said.

Now, Tolchin said she is focused on getting Estrada Juarez’s DACA status renewed which expires at the end of April. She will also keep trying to get Estrada Juarez the green card she was working toward before she was denied and deported. 

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