DACA recipients face deportation over minor errors, old traffic violations

Minor errors on immigration forms or forgotten traffic violations from over a decade ago are now putting young immigrants protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program at risk of deportation from the United States. These individuals, who arrived in the U.S. as children and have since built their lives, now face the prospect of being sent back to countries they barely remember.

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I have a lot of fear, I don't know what will happen to my future, I have complied with the law, with everything they asked me and yet now I am in danger of being deported and sent back to a country I left with my parents when I was 18 months old.

Roberto Navarro Valenzuela, a 24-year-old Mexican immigrant and aerospace mechanics student at the University of Arizona, shared his fear after his request to regularize his immigration status through marriage was rejected in May. He had hoped to secure legal residency with his U.S. citizen wife. His DACA application, filed in 2021, remains in legal limbo due to a federal court order that has halted new applications.

"I tried to follow the law, I married for love with my wife, we filled out the forms with the hope of ending this nightmare and moving on with our lives," Navarro Valenzuela stated. He also recounted the personal tragedy of being unable to save his younger sister, who died of cancer, despite being her bone marrow donor. "I'm scared, right now I have no protection," he said tearfully.

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I tried to follow the law, I married for love with my wife, we filled out the forms with the hope of ending this nightmare and moving on with our lives.

The stated reason for rejecting Navarro Valenzuela's application is an alleged incorrect signature on the immigration status change form. He would have to restart the process, but this does not suspend the deportation order. He fears deportation would destroy his life and dreams, along with years of study and effort.

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I'm scared, right now I have no protection.

Similarly, Myndy Valencia Sánchez, 29, who is currently protected by DACA, faces deportation proceedings due to a traffic infraction from over 15 years ago for driving without a license. "Since then, I haven't had any infractions, with DACA I got my license, my driving record is clean, I haven't committed any crimes and yet now they want to deport me," she said. Her DACA status is set to expire in January.

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Since then, I haven't had any infractions, with DACA I got my license, my driving record is clean, I haven't committed any crimes and yet now they want to deport me.