Evenezer Cortez-Martinez, a 39-year-old parent residing in Kansas City, Kansas, was removed to Mexico in March following a trip to his native country to visit his grandfather’s final resting place, “CBS Philadelphia reported.”
A recipient of DACA protection since 2014, Cortez-Martinez had secured an Advance Parole authorization document, permitting him to depart the United States temporarily and return through legal channels.
On March 20, 2025, he journeyed to Mexico, but when attempting reentry on March 23, authorities detained him at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials stated a removal order existed from June 2024—information unknown to Cortez-Martinez. “He was promptly returned to Mexico without appearing before an immigration judge,” CBS reported.
His legal representative, Rekha Sharma-Crawford, contests the removal’s validity, stating her client consistently maintained current DACA status and received no prior notification about any deportation order. She initiated federal legal action against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and CBP, contending that Cortez-Martinez’s status and valid documentation required a formal hearing before removal.
This incident sparks increasing unease within the “Dreamers” population regarding international travel risks—even with proper paperwork. Ms. Sharma-Crawford currently recommends DACA beneficiaries avoid overseas travel given the uncertainties under the current administration’s immigration enforcement stance.
Cortez-Martinez currently resides with his uncle in Mexico, separated from his spouse and three children who remain in Kansas City, enduring a painful family division.
Since returning to the White House on January 20, President Donald Trump and his administration have deported several thousand immigrants, many of whom hold legal status in the United States.
