After more than two anxious weeks spent in Mexico, Evenezer Cortez Martinez, a recipient of the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program, was able to return to the United States on Tuesday, April 8, according to information confirmed to Newsweek by his attorney, Rekha Sharma-Crawford.
Cortez Martinez had traveled to his native country on March 20 to visit his family and pay respects at his grandfather’s grave. He was in possession of a travel document known as “advance parole,” which legally allowed him to temporarily leave the country under his DACA status.
Nevertheless, when attempting to return on March 23 through Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, he encountered detention by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials, who refused his entry.
The authorities referenced a deportation directive issued in absentia in June 2024, suggesting that his travel documentation had been erroneously provided.
In documentation submitted to the federal court in the Northern District of Texas, Attorney Sharma-Crawford declared that “Mr. Cortez Martinez was indeed in possession of his approved DACA authorization and a valid advance parole document,” Newsweek reported. She further emphasized that the document maintained its validity until April 14.
Addressing the CBP’s assertions, the attorney clarified that her client had never received notification about the hearing that led to the deportation order: “He does have a deportation order issued in his absence, but only because he was never informed of the hearing, despite always renewing his DACA with USCIS and providing his most current address,” she told Newsweek.
She further elaborated that the hearing was part of a unilateral reopening of deportation cases—a measure implemented during President Trump’s administration: “It was a rescheduled hearing meant to reopen the case. Under the first Trump administration, they started reopening closed cases without notice,” Newsweek reported.
Upon returning to Roeland Park, Kansas, Cortez Martinez shared his emotional relief with local media: “When I went through customs and they told me everything was fine, I felt such relief, you know, like I was finally free,” he said joyfully. He continued, “I feel safer here. My heart is at peace.”
His homecoming preceded the federal government’s required legal response to the emergency petition filed by his attorneys. Sharma-Crawford informed Newsweek that his return was facilitated through successful negotiations with authorities: “He returned through Dallas-Fort Worth Airport after discussions with the government and before they were required to formally respond to the emergency request. My client’s return went off without incident,” she said.
While relieved by their loved one’s return, Mr. Martinez’s family initiated a crowdfunding effort to address mounting legal expenses.
In an April 8 post, they shared their joy: “We are happy to announce that our father is home. Thank you to everyone who generously supported us during this time, and to our wonderful attorney, Rekha Sharma-Crawford. As we continue this journey, we still need help covering legal fees. Your support means the world to us. God bless you!”
Cortez Martinez’s ordeal reflects a broader pattern under President Trump’s current administration, where numerous immigrants face similar challenges.
The impact extends to other DACA recipients facing questionable deportations. Take Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident who was deported to El Salvador due to an “administrative error” and remains unable to return to the United States despite a favorable U.S. Supreme Court ruling urging the federal government to facilitate his return to America.
The resistance continues to grow stronger. As Karla Castaneda, director of the Workers’ Rights Education Project, told Newsweek in March: “I could lose my DACA in December because of my activism against this administration, but honestly, at this point, I don’t care. What we need now is to fight”, reports Newsweek, April 10, 2025.
