Alejandra Juarez, who lived in the Orlando area, left the United States, said Ernesto Juarez, her brother-in-law. He had no further comment.
Soto on Thursday said letters were sent to President Trump and government agencies asking for a stay of removal. “If the president really claims to support veterans, he should stand with the Juarez family and reconsider Alejandra’s deportation,” Soto said in a statement. “While Mr. Juarez was abroad fighting to defend our country, Mrs. Juarez was at home raising his daughters, serving in the same manner as military spouses do across our nation.”
The Davenport resident has no criminal record but faced a removal order over her 1998 illegal entry into the United States, Soto said. She’s married to a former Marine and Iraq War veteran, and they have two girls, ages 8 and 16, who are US citizens.
Soto said he’s disappointed by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s decision.
“Our local community has also stood with the Juarez family during this traumatizing experience, from schoolteachers to church members and supportive neighbors. It is a sad day for our entire community as we will all be affected by this insensitive deportation order,” Soto said.
In a statement, ICE spokesman Bryan Cox said Juarez was initially apprehended and removed from the country after attempting to enter illegally from Mexico in 1998. He said she later illegally reentered the United States after being removed — which is considered a felony under federal law.
ICE arrested her in August 2013 and notified her that the earlier removal order was being reinstated, according to the statement.
“ICE subsequently exercised temporary discretion by releasing her on an Order of Supervision and granted her temporary stays of removal in August 2015 and August 2016,” the statement said. “At this time, Juarez must comply with her removal order and depart the US.”
