Mother Deported Within 24 Hours of Green Card Interview

Damaris Bello's mother attended a green card interview—and was deported less than a day later, leaving her daughter devastated.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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Damaris Bello's mother, Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez, a 42-year-old with DACA status who had lived in the U.S. for over 25 years, was detained at her green card interview last month and deported to Mexico within 24 hours. Bello, an only child, is now facing the prospect of having to move out of their shared home due to the financial burden of her mother's deportation.

Why it matters

This case highlights the Trump administration's aggressive targeting of DACA recipients, a betrayal of the program's intent to protect young undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. It also raises concerns about the lack of due process and transparency in the deportation of long-term residents with no criminal history.

The details

During the green card interview, the USCIS officer informed Estrada Juarez that her record showed a previous removal order from when she first came to the U.S. in 1998 at age 15, which she said she was unaware of. Moments later, plainclothes agents detained Estrada Juarez and deported her to Mexico the next day, despite her having DACA status and permission to travel to Mexico in 2014 without issue.

  • On February 18, 2026, Estrada Juarez attended a green card interview with her daughter Damaris Bello.
  • Later that same day, Estrada Juarez was detained and deported to Mexico.

The players

Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez

A 42-year-old woman with DACA status who had lived in the U.S. for over 25 years and worked as a regional manager for Motel 6.

Damaris Bello

The 22-year-old daughter of Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez, who is now facing the prospect of having to move out of their shared home due to the financial burden of her mother's deportation.

Kristi Noem

The former Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, who testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the agency's deportation of DACA recipients.

Dick Durbin

A Democratic Senator from Illinois who questioned Noem about the deportation of DACA recipients during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

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What they’re saying

“There's no straight answers given by the Secretary. It feels like it's purposely dismissed and gone over.”

— Damaris Bello (Mother Jones)

“In a single moment, nearly 30 years of my life were taken away from me. My home, my work, my community. The place where my memories and my future were. My family should not have to be torn apart.”

— Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez (Mother Jones)

What’s next

The judge in Estrada Juarez's case will decide on whether to allow her to return to the U.S. and fight her deportation.

The takeaway

This case highlights the Trump administration's aggressive targeting of DACA recipients, raising concerns about the lack of due process and transparency in the deportation of long-term residents with no criminal history. It also underscores the devastating human toll of these policies on families like Damaris Bello's, who are left to pick up the pieces after a loved one is suddenly taken away.