New Fairfield’s Joel Colindres Gets Last Minute Reprieve From Deportation
New Fairfield's Joel Colindres found out as he was sitting at the airport, he had been given a last minute temporary stay from deportation.
Joel was supposed to be on a plane back to Guatemala on this Thursday, August 17, but the United States Court of Appeals has upheld the law and given Mr. Colindres some breathing room so he's able to fight for his right to stay in this country. The NewsTimes just released the story at a couple of minutes past 3 pm this afternoon. Senator Richard Blumenthal who's been fighting for a temporary stay along with Colindres's lawyer, Erin O'Neil-Baker had this to say:
Reason and justice have prevailed, at least temporarily, enabling Joel Colindres to stay with his family and pursue a fair hearing.
Joel and his wife Samantha, who is a U.S. citizen have been fighting the immigration authorities over the last 7 years trying to go through the legal channels for permanent citizenship. According to Joel's wife, Samantha, ICE officials sent documents to Joel, misspelling his name, while mailing them to the wrong address. Those documents informed Joel of a court date which he never received. Joel's wife Samantha said:
We have tried to do things the right way, and about $25,000 later we are no better off.
This temporary stay of deportation will give Joel and his family some breathing as his pending request for asylum moves through the court system. For now Joel Colindres is home where he belongs with his wife Samantha and their two beautiful children.
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