Immigration Lawsuit Settlement Lets Deported Mexicans Return to U.S.

An immigration lawsuit settlement will allow almost 100 deported Mexicans to return to the U.S. The immigration lawsuit settlement stems from a class-action suit alleging that immigration officials failed to inform undocumented immigrants of their rights. The terms of the settlement will allow nearly 100 Mexicans who had previously resided in the U.S. to return legally and be reunited with their families in time for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

Details of the Immigration Lawsuit

In 2013, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a class-action immigration lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The suit alleged that DHS and immigration officials threatened immigrants with immediate deportation. The ACLU also claimed that federal authorities denied the immigrants the right to have their case heard by an immigration judge. The immigration lawsuit settlement will allow those immigrants who can show that their rights were denied to re-enter the U.S. Almost 100 immigrants have qualified to return under the immigration lawsuit settlement, with more expected after the new year.

Immigration Lawsuit Settlement Requirements

The immigration lawsuit settlement has several requirements for those seeking to qualify for re-entry into the U.S. Applicants must be married to a U.S. citizen, have lived in the U.S. at least ten years, and signed a “voluntary return” agreement in Southern California between 2009 and 2014. The immigration lawsuit settlement also requires applicants to have a dependent who relies on their income, such as a child or elderly parent. Immigrants who qualify for delayed deportation under President Obama’s 2012 executive orders can also qualify for re-entry.

ACLU: Thousands Could Qualify Under Immigration Lawsuit Settlement Terms

An attorney for the ACLU told reporters that federal authorities have so far approved less than two dozen of the applicants who qualify under the immigration lawsuit settlement. However, the group expects thousands of immigrants to qualify for re-entry. The immigration lawsuit settlement showed that the voluntary return procedure forced immigrants to give up their rights and accept expulsion from the U.S. for as long as ten years. An ACLU advertising campaign in Mexico and Southern California reached an estimated 200,000 immigrants who signed voluntary return agreements under duress.

Feds Deny Wrongdoing in Immigration Lawsuit Settlement Agreement

As part of the agreement that led to the immigration lawsuit settlement, federal immigration officials did not accept any blame for the process. However, the immigration lawsuit settlement agreement also called on authorities in California to present a revised voluntary return form. The new form will show the consequences of accepting a voluntary return. Officers who present the form to suspected illegal immigrants must also undergo new training methods, including showing them where they con obtain free or discounted legal aid.

Source: Fox News Latino

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NOTE: This post is a news story and does not imply an endorsement of Arguello Law Firm by any of the parties mentioned herein.