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Carbajal introduces legislation to help keep military families together, avoid deportation

Posted at 2:54 PM, Mar 26, 2019
and last updated 2019-03-27 00:00:34-04

A bill that would help keep military families together was introduced Tuesday by Congressman Salud Carbajal.

The legislation comes after a Goleta grandmother learned earlier this month she will have to leave the U.S. after 30 years and return to Mexico.

Juana Flores, 56, has 10 children, one of whom is in the military. She also has 15 grandchildren.

She’s learned her appeal to stay in the U.S. was denied by ICE and she will now be removed by the agency on April 1.

Carbajal introduced HR 1871 Tuesday:

“No active-duty servicemember should have to worry about their mother being torn away from her family and home while they are deployed to protect to our nation. That’s why I’m introducing legislation inspired by Juana Flores’s case that will make parents of servicemembers eligible for immigration status adjustment, and ensure that our military families can stay together.”

To read ICE’s reasoning behind Flores’ deportation, click here.