Many Florida immigrants understand how stressful and worrisome it can be to encounter legal status challenges. Such situations often result in families being separated and breadwinners being placed in immigration detention centers, often resulting in immediate financial hardship for their loved ones. A man in another state says his wife has current medical needs and he is her sole care provider, which is why he is so worried that U.S. immigration law officials might try to deport him.
The man has crossed in and out of the United States on many occasions. In 2010, he was taken into custody and his case was one of many listed on federal court dockets at the time. However, in 2014, a federal court judge signed administrative closure documents that not only allowed the man to go free but also removed his case from the backlog.
During his recent travels between Texas and New Mexico, a border patrol agent reportedly told the man that his court documents were not valid. The man was once again placed in an immigration detention center and has apparently not been allowed to see his family. A U.S. government official said that administrative closure cases can be re-opened any time the government sees fit. However, an attorney advocating on the man’s behalf said a border patrol agent does not have the authority to overrule a federal judge’s decision.
There were at least 350,000 cases closed through administrative process last year. U.S. immigration law is complex and the average person may have great difficulty determining a best course of action when a legal status issue arises. As the man in this case has done, Florida immigrants facing similar problems increase the chances of obtaining positive outcomes if they rely on experienced immigration law support.