'We have all learned from you and seeing your struggle': MPS teacher’s aide self-deports

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Yessenia Ruano, an MPS teacher’s aide, self-deported Tuesday, June 17. Last month, she was ordered to self-deport by June 3, but later that day her lawyer told us, "ICE is reviewing the stay." Now, a decision from immigration officials has come. Ruano calls her self-deportation a "social injustice," forced to leave the place she's called home for the past 14 years.

According to her immigration lawyer, Marc Christopher, Immigration and Customs Enforcement denied her stay despite an ongoing application for a visa.

After months of uncertainty as Ruano's T-Visa application for human trafficking victims is processed, she was informed last Wednesday that her stay would not be permitted. 

Ruano fled from El Salvador in 2011 due to violence and gangs as a victim of human trafficking. Her T-Visa, for trafficking victims, is still being reviewed by immigration officials. Christopher says this process would typically take two to four months, but nowadays it is taking three to four years. Ruano says she's facing an uncertain future, as El Salvador is different than what it was 14 years ago.

"I have to be there to process and begin anew."

At a Tuesday morning press conference, Sarah Weintraub, from the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association, said:

"To Miss Ruano: You have taught so many people in the classroom and have taught the community. You have taught so many people what it looks like to fight, stand up for yourself and your whole community. We have all learned from you and seeing your struggle. We thank you for your example and bravery."

As she fought for time in the United States while her case was reviewed, the community showed up in droves outside her immigration hearing and at a walkout from where she worked, Alba School.

"There are no pathways, we try, there are no choices for immigrant families or communities. There have not been for a very long time. This is the result of a very broken, very painful immigration system," said Weintraub.

As Ruano leaves with one family, she leaves behind another. Weintraub shared in tears, "Our family is now being torn apart, and when we return to school in the fall, we’re going to feel that loss because we’ll be missing members of our families, and it will not be the same, and that’s not right."

Ruano says her 10-year-old daughters don't fully grasp the situation at hand, crying as they have to leave behind the only home they've known as U.S. citizens. 

Yamil said goodbye to Ruano and her daughters on Tuesday, also disappointed in them having to leave.

"I feel pretty sad. Because I just lost two of my friends. That's a little bit less of the students at Alba missing.... I'm just going to miss them in general because they’re my friends."

Congresswoman Gwen Moore issued a statement on ICE's decision denying Ruano an emergency stay:

“I am extremely disappointed in ICE’s decision to deny an emergency stay for my constituent Yessenia Ruano. It is outright cruel to force a human trafficking victim to return to the place she was fleeing from. T visas are meant for people like Yessenia, but sadly, she wasn’t even given the chance to have her case heard. Yessenia is a wonderful person and her and children’s removal from Milwaukee will be a loss to our community.”

Ruano says she's still hopeful her visa will be approved, and she'll be able to come back.