Teens Deported In Immigration Sweep Return Home (KGTV-San Diego, CA)

Teens Deported In Immigration Sweep Return Home
Immigrant Rights Activists, Families Speak Out Against Raid

POSTED: 5:21 pm PDT June 17, 2009

SAN DIEGO -- Nearly one month after the Department of Homeland Security conducted an immigration sweep in the Old Town Transit Center, three high school students detained and deported to Mexico are back home with their families.

10News learned that the students were granted humanitarian parole, which gave them the chance to go home but how long they can stay remains unanswered.

Stephanie Jimenez was greeted with warm words and hugs after spending the last 30 days away from her family.

Stephanie was in Tijuana with her boyfriend, Mauricio Villanueva, and the couple said border agents handcuffed them at the Old Town Transit Center while on their way to school.

"I told him I'm underage; they don't have the right to deport me, I'm a student," Mauricio said.

It happened during an immigration sweep conducted by the Transportation Safety Administration and the Border Patrol that led to 21 arrests.

Stephanie and Mauricio accused agents of bullying them into signing a voluntary departure form.

"They were trying to talk a good way with us, but their actions were racist," said Mauricio.

On Wednesday, immigration rights activists and the couple's families spoke out during a press conference.

"It was a miracle they were able to get back safe and quickly," said Mauricio's mother, Angelica Pacheco.

They credit community protests for the federal government's rare move to grant the kids humanitarian parole.

"We believe there is implied acknowledgment that perhaps the process the minors were removed from the country is incorrect," said Pedro Rios of the American Friends Services Committee.

Border officials maintain that they don't use racial profiling and did not break any laws -- a stance immigration rights activists question.

"Were they given the right to speak to a rep of the Mexican consulate? A lot of questions we don't have the answer to," said immigration attorney Lilia Velasquez.

Kevin Keenan of the American Civil Liberties Union said, "We need to know from our government that this isn't going to happen again. We need the reassurance their kids won't be targeted on the way to school."

A third teen was also granted humanitarian parole but wished to remain anonymous.

The three teenagers still have to present their case in front of an immigration judge, and a hearing could take place sometime in the next three months.