A Goleta woman, who is in the country illegally, learned Monday she will be allowed to stay in the U.S. for at least another six months.
Immigration Customs and Enforcement officials have been reviewing Juana Maria Flores’ stay of removal since it was filed at the end of July.
Her husband, 10 children and 15 grandchildren are all American citizens, according to her immigration attorney, Kevin Rice. Her son serves in the Air Force.
Flores has been checking in with ICE each year, and does not have a criminal record, according to Rice.
"What triggered the problem is that she went back to Mexico in 1999 to visit her sick mother," her attorney previously told KSBY.
Rice said Flores, who first entered the U.S. In 1988 without permission, was stopped on the way back into the U.S. and it created a technical violation, which is now coming into play.
The stay of removal cites that Flores has an adult son with severe disabilities and she needs to help care for him.
Rice told KSBY after Monday’s check-in at the ICE facility in Santa Maria that officials would re-evaluate Flores’ status in six months and would be reviewing the "compelling reasons" for her to stay that he presented to them.
For more on this story, watch KSBY News Monday at 5 and 6 p.m.
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Goleta woman awaiting decision from ICE on stay of removal
