DACA recipients ponder risk of traveling abroad, even with approval
DACA recipients ponder risk of traveling abroad
A Kansas City father and DACA recipient is at the center of a national conversation about the risks of traveling abroad, even with government approval.
MILWAUKEE - A Kansas City father and DACA recipient is at the center of a national conversation about the risks of traveling abroad, even with government approval. That man was recently deported after trying to return to the United States from Mexico.
Questions about travel abroad
What we know:
This case raises questions for immigrant communities in southeast Wisconsin.
FOX6 News first introduced you to Vanessa Contreras in March. She is an active Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient. The DACA program allows immigrants who grew up in the U.S. to pursue temporary protection from deportation.
Vanessa Contreras
Back in March, Contreras traveled to Mexico to visit a sick grandfather. Like several DACA recipients, Contreras was granted advance parole, which allowed her to travel abroad and re-enter the United States without a visa.
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Contreras re-entered the U.S. without a problem. But for others, like the Kansas City man, things do not always turn out as planned.
Immigration attorney weighs in
What they're saying:
"I worry that someone didn't take a hard look at his past and to see if there was a prior deportation order," said Melissa Soberalski, an immigration attorney.
Soberalski said there are a few important tasks to consider, even with that government approval.
"Make sure that the attorney is doing all the necessary background checks. There might have been something that happened in the past that the immigrant had maybe forgotten about themselves or maybe just weren't aware about the documents they had signed or agreed to," Soberalski said.
Melissa Soberalski
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Soberalski advises to check that you have a valid passport, valid DACA status and carry copies of all immigration documents.
Spring break international travel caution; tips for immigrants
Attorneys are advising the immigrant community to be cautious, with many people taking off for spring break travel.
"I've also seen colleagues of mine who advise not to travel at any time with the new administration. I fall somewhere in the middle point where I like to go over the risks with my clients. I like, be cautious by getting those records and then we go from there," Soberalski said.
The Source: The information in this post was produced by FOX6 News with assistance from an immigration attorney.