The status of immigrants in the United States often engenders sympathy among the public when a person has lived in our country for a long time but lacks the legal status to stay. One such case that has been in the news recently involves a Mexican man who spent the past 20 years living in Mississippi. He is now scheduled to be deported June 1.
The man objects to the pending deportation. He requested a stay so that he could remain in the U.S. for another year. That stay was denied in a letter signed by an officer with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on May 12.
The 36-year-old immigrant believes that the denial was issued too fast and that insufficient time was taken to consider his request. He has lived in Leflore County, Mississippi, since he was 16 years old. In the time since then, he has not secured permanent residency documents.
He has, however, secured annual work permits six years in a row, according to his statement. Those work permits allowed him to work on irrigation pivots. However, the last permit ended in June of 2016 for reasons that have not been made public.
He says that he has sought to legalize his immigration status for the past nine years, only to be met with multiple denials.
While originally from Mexico, he feels that he is very much part of his local community in Mississippi and should be permitted to stay. His children are enrolled at St. Francis Catholic School, and he would like them to finish the school year there. Citizens in his area have signed letters and petitions advocating that he be allowed to stay, but at this time, his deportation is still pending.
Immigrants who are having trouble gaining legal status or who are facing deportation should seek the guidance of an experienced Mississippi immigration attorney to find out what their options are.
Source: U.S. News & World Report, “Mexican Man Living in Mississippi to Be Deported June 1,” May 20, 2017
