Daniela Vargas, a 22-year-old immigrant who was brought to the United States as a child, is facing deportation without a court hearing after speaking to the media about that very fear, according to her attorney.
Last month, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials detained Vargas’ brother and father outside their home in Mississippi. Vargas and her family came to the United States from Argentina, and her brother and father were living here undocumented. Vargas hid in a closet until agents obtained a warrant and entered the home. She was handcuffed but released when agents discovered her status as a “Dreamer.” (“Dreamer” refers to the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals [DACA] policy, which grants deportation exceptions for some children brought into the country illegally.)
Vargas’ status had expired in November but she was in the process of renewing it because she could not afford the $495 fee right away. She was able to apply in mid-February.
