MPS teacher’s aide forced to self-deport despite ongoing visa application
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A teacher's aide at Milwaukee Public Schools has to leave the country. Yessenia Ruano learned her fate Friday morning at a hearing with immigration officials.
Ruano has until Tuesday, June 3, to leave the place she's called home for 14 years. As she walked into her appointment with optimism, the community rallied around her.
"Justice for Yessenia, we shall not be moved," sang the crowd of over 60 people. They held signs, shed tears, and bowed their heads in prayer: "Let them know that they are held in something more than this painful breaking."
Despite her deep ties to the community and proof of her visa being under review, Ruano was told she had to self-deport. She describes the moment as “devastating” because she wasn’t expecting this to be the decision.
“I was very hopeful I had my case, that I would receive the necessary time for his process, but no, they say no."
“It's a sad day for us, as a community. We have someone who’s been here a long time, as a wonderful, contributing member of her society,” says her immigration attorney, Marc Christopher.
Ruano says she fled El Salvador in 2011 because of violence and gangs, as a victim of human trafficking. So, she applied for a trafficking victims' visa, otherwise known as a T-visa. Typically, that would be reviewed in two to four months. But nowadays, it's taking three to four years.
"I'm not asking for anything more than time. And I just paid almost $14,000 for my T-visa case, and that’s the hard part for me. Because I'm trying the best I can do in legal ways, and now we are closing the doors,” she shared.
Her attorney said all Ruano is asking for is time for her visa to be reviewed while she is safe in the United States. Instead, she’ll have to go back to El Salvador.
“I find it disingenuous for the federal government, while the case is pending, that she needs to go back and subject herself to the very harm she’s seeking protection from.”
Christopher says they're looking at all possible options to allow her and her family to stay in the United States, but there's no way to appeal the decision.
Ruano has twin daughters who turn 10 on Monday. The next day, they'll all have to leave the only place they know as home.