The family of a Manassas, Virginia, woman who was taken into Immigration and Custody Enforcement custody, deported to Guatemala and brought back to the U.S., remains in limbo, as she continues to be detained after requesting to leave the country.
Jhoan Mesen, husband to Claudia Alvarenga Espa帽a, told 海角精品黑料 he has not seen his wife since the day before she was arrested during an ICE check-in more than a month ago.
The couple lived with their four children in Manassas, where the mother worked at the Georgetown South Community Center.
Since her detainment on June 3, the family has grown 鈥渁nxious鈥� to see her.
鈥淪he called me before going into that hearing saying she was nervous,鈥� Mesen told 海角精品黑料’s Jos茅 Uma帽a in Spanish. 鈥淎fter that, the signal went down, and I never heard back from her.”
Accidental deportation
Alvarenga Espa帽a first arrived into the U.S. in 2010 as a 17-year-old, after being abused by a partner and human trafficked, attorney Lisa Shea, of Immigrants First, told 海角精品黑料 on June 20. She was caught when entering the country and deported.
She reentered in January 2011 and was allowed to stay under an 鈥渙rder of supervision,鈥� requiring her to have regular check-ins with ICE, Shea said. She also received a work permit.
This year, Alvarenga Espa帽a attempted to apply for a withholding of removal, which is an alternative form of asylum protection for immigrants who fear persecution in their home country.
As the process started, she was taken into custody on June 3, when she attended a required ICE office check-in in Chantilly.
As attorneys tried to file a temporary restraining order to stop the deportation, immigration officials sent her to Louisiana. On June 10, Alvarenga Espa帽a was sent Guatemala.
But a day before she was moved to Guatemala, a judge ruled that she 鈥渟hall not be removed from the United States unless and until the Court issues a contrary order.鈥�
Alvarenga Espa帽a spoke to her husband, and both agreed on her returning to the U.S., in the hopes she would be released when fighting her case. After spending over 90 minutes in the Central American country, she was returned to the U.S. to receive her reasonable fear interview to determine whether she would persecuted if sent back to Guatemala.
Shea said she passed her interview and was set to go in front of an immigration judge for a court hearing. Had she continued further and was granted the withholding of removal claim, Alvarenga Espa帽a would have been permitted to stay in the U.S. and be released.
Instead, Alvarenga Espa帽a has requested to be deported back to Guatemala. She has remained in ICE detention in Texas since being brought back to the U.S. and has only been able to communicate with her family via phone calls.
Mesen said his wife is choosing to return to Guatemala to be reunited with her family faster and the unknown length of fighting her case. Their youngest children, a 2-year-old and an 8-year old boy, have struggled without seeing their mother, he said, adding that Alvarenga Espa帽a has a thyroid condition that she is struggling to manage while detained.
鈥淪he was the head of the home, and she kept care of that child every day,鈥� he said. 鈥淏abies are babies, and they need care.鈥�
Ishan Anand, of Immigration First, told 海角精品黑料 that Alvarenga Espa帽a should be in Guatemala by now. Letters of release have been sent on her behalf to ICE and Homeland Security officials requesting her deportation.
鈥淲e sent a letter of release to ICE,” Anand said. 鈥淲e sent the letter of release to the officer. We sent a release to the council, telling them that they need to go (with the request).鈥�
An ICE spokesperson told 海角精品黑料 Alvarenga Espa帽a鈥檚 case is in removal proceedings at this time.
A longer wait to leave
Since his wife鈥檚 decision, Mesen told 海角精品黑料 the family has put their Northern Virginia home for sale and began packing to reunite with her in Central America. All four children鈥檚 passports are in process to be put together, and once their mother is finally deported, they will be sent out a week later.
After the home is sold, Mesen will join his family together in his home country of Costa Rica. He said the family hopes the process only lasts one or two more weeks.
Attorneys at Immigrant First said the consulates of Guatemala and Costa Rica are helping the family with their requests.
鈥淚鈥檓 just very anxious for this process to end,鈥� Mesen said. 鈥淭hat is the only light we see out of this situation.鈥�
Mesen has known Alvarenga Espa帽a since arriving to the U.S. calling her 鈥渂rave鈥� and saying she always fights for herself. They have lived together for five years, with Mesen crediting her for keeping the household together while working at the same time.
鈥淚t hurts me a lot 鈥� everything we built together was because of her,” he said. “And now as a couple, it鈥檚 up to me to close everything up.鈥�
Mesen acknowledges that he is leaving a country that gave him a lot of opportunities to work and establish his family. However, he said Alvarenga Espa帽a鈥檚 situation has left a 鈥渂ad taste鈥� for the U.S. personally, in the way his family and other immigrants have been treated.
鈥淲e are a people that come here to work and leave our home countries that are going through difficult situations,鈥� Mesen said. 鈥淭here isn鈥檛 much opportunities there 鈥� We are just looking for a better future for ourselves and our kids.”
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