The other three Arreola
children--Robert, age 25, Daniel, age 22, and Saray, age 20--are U.S.
citizens. The story of the Arreola family is compelling, and I believe
they merit Congress's special consideration for such an extraordinary
form of relief as a private bill. The Arreolas are facing deportation in part because of grievous
errors committed by their previous counsel, who has since been
disbarred. In fact, the attorney's conduct was so egregious that it
compelled an immigration judge to write to the Executive Office of
Immigration Review seeking the attorney's disbarment for his actions in
his clients' immigration cases. Esidronio came to the United States in 1986 and was an agricultural
migrant worker in the fields of California for several years. As a
migrant worker at that time, he would have been eligible for permanent
residence through the Seasonal Agricultural Workers, SWA, Program, had
he known about it. Maria Elena was living in the United States at the time she became
pregnant with her daughter Cindy. She returned to Mexico to give birth
because she wanted to avoid any immigration issues. Because of the length of time that the Arreolas were in the United
States, it is likely that they would have qualified for suspension of
deportation, which would have allowed them to remain in the United
States legally. However, the poor legal representation they received
foreclosed this opportunity. One of the most compelling reasons for my introduction of this
private bill is the devastating impact the deportation of Esidronio and
Maria Elena would have on their children--three of whom are American
citizens--and the other two who have lived in the United States since
they were toddlers. America is the only country the Arreola children
have ever known. Nayely, the oldest, was the first in her family to graduate from high
school and the first to graduate college.
Keywords matched
immigration migrant Immigration deportation