Texas Mother Challenges Deportation Due to DACA Status

Jessica Treviño, a 34-year-old woman from Texas, has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. federal government after her deportation to Mexico. She had legal permission to stay in the U.S. since arriving as a child and is contesting the termination of her legal status due to “unauthorized travel.”

Treviño and her husband were arrested by federal agents in December in a South Texas Home Depot parking lot, leading to their deportation to Matamoros, Mexico. Their three children, all U.S. citizens, are currently living with family members on the American side of the border.

At the age of 20, Treviño was granted permission under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to remain in the U.S. The program, introduced in 2012, offers a temporary stay and work permits to those brought to the U.S. as children without conferring legal status.

However, DACA recipients must maintain a clean criminal record and cannot travel outside the U.S. As of the latest authorization, her DACA status and work permit are valid until April 2027.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services recently issued a notice of intent to terminate Treviño’s status due to “unauthorized travel outside of the United States on or about March 25, 2026,” coinciding with her deportation.

Her attorney, David Rozas, has sought intervention from a federal judge in Brownsville, Texas, to declare Treviño’s removal unlawful, facilitate her return, and maintain her DACA status.

An immigration judge under the Justice Department previously issued a voluntary departure order, but a valid DACA status is supposed to protect against deportation.

Treviño expressed a deep longing to return to the U.S., emphasizing her desperation and desire to reunite with her children who are about to start school.

The current administration has deported 86 DACA recipients and arrested 241 others, as highlighted in a letter by the Department of Homeland Security sent in February to Senator Richard J. Durbin.

Advocates argue Treviño’s deportation represents a pattern of actions against DACA recipients. Todd Schulte, president of FWD.us, criticized this approach, suggesting it targets individuals and leaves families fragmented.