A Young Immigrant’s Deportation Nightmare
The plane was stuck on the tarmac of a Louisiana airport, but Yurin Quiroa Ralda, 21, was not particularly eager to take off. He was being deported, based in part on misinterpreted records. And not to his birthplace, Guatemala, but to Ecuador, where he’d never even been. That alone was a nightmare, but Yurin’s situation […]
Yurin Quiroa Ralda, a 21-year-old immigrant, found himself caught in a deportation nightmare. He was being transported from a Louisiana airport, but he wasn't eager to depart. The US government had misinterpreted his records, deeming him eligible for deportation to Ecuador, a country he had never set foot in. This was a far cry from his birthplace of Guatemala.
His situation was even more disheartening as he had been told by the US government that he could apply for a green card once he turned 18, provided he had Special Immigrant Juvenile status (SIJ). This classification was established in 1990 to offer these kids a chance at legal permanent residency, preventing them from returning to their abusive or neglected families. Yurin had diligently followed the rules and had become eligible to apply for a green card, yet here he was, facing deportation to Ecuador.
The Biden administration had given these young immigrants Deferred Action, a temporary shield against deportation, which allowed them to work. However, President Trump's administration detained about 400 individuals with SIJ status and deported 132 during his first year in office. These young immigrants were told, "Stay here; you have protection," but instead, they received a broken promise.
Yurin's journey began when local law enforcement pulled over his cousin for speeding in West Virginia. As a passenger, Yurin's immigration status was discovered, and he was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He had been granted SIJ status due to his father's abandonment and his mother's financial struggles in Guatemala, leading him to cross the border at age 16 for asylum.
For months, Yurin was trapped in bureaucratic limbo, with his seemingly valid status not enough to secure his release from detention. His attorneys argued that his SIJ status was valid, but the judge ordered his deportation, citing a criminal record. However, it was later revealed that Yurin had no record of assault, as the records pointed to a mischaracterization of his misdemeanor from three years prior. This miscommunication may have been the reason for his detention and deportation.
Written by urgent.news from Mother Jones's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
