August 28, 2015
Group of people who signed voluntary departures returns to the United States
This is a guest blog written by the ACLU of San Diego to share information about the Lopez-Venegas Class Action Lawsuit, which has allowed a group of people who were undocumented in the United States and removed to Mexico to return to U.S. Read more to learn about the case and how to participate.
In August 2014, the ACLU of San Diego announced that we had reached an agreement with the U.S. government regarding the Lopez-Venegas Class Action Lawsuit. At the end of Februrary of this year, the agreement was finalized and we started outreach to potential candidates for the Lopez-Venegas class. We are happy to announce that on August 25th, 2015, the first group of class members returned to the United States the San Ysidro checkpoint.
What is the ACLU?
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is the largest and oldest organization dedicated to defending civil liberties in the United States. We have offices in all 50 states, in Puerto Rico and in Washington, D.C. The ACLU works daily to combat unjust U.S. government policies, to change discriminatory and unjust laws and ensure equal treatment for all people.
The Lopez-Venegas Agreement
In 2013, the ACLU filed the Lopez-Venegas Class Action Lawsuit to prevent ICE and Border Patrol agents from continuing to deceive people into signing their own removal from the U.S. via “voluntary return.” This historic agreement allows people who were removed to Mexico through “voluntary return” and who fulfill certain requirements to be a part of the “class” to return to the U.S. and have the opportunity to pursue legal status.
Returning Home
Aroon, Lucila, and José are some of the people who returned home on August 25th. Learn more about their stories here and here.
Can I benefit from the Lopez-Venegas Agreement?
You may be able to if you meet the following requirements:
- You were removed to Mexico after signing a “voluntary return” between June 1, 2009 and August 28, 2014;
- You were processed by the San Diego Border Patrol or by the ICE offices in San Diego or Los Angeles;
- You have reasonable motives to live in the United States;
- You are currently in Mexico.
Please get in touch with us quickly! The application periods ends on December 23, 2015.
For more information about the Lopez-Venegas agreement and the work of the ACLU of San Diego:
Our web page, Mi Salida Voluntaria, and our Facebook page contain valuable information for potential candidates in both English and Spanish. You can also call us from Mexico at 01 800 681 6917. Please share this information with your friends and family.
Sincerely,
The Lopez-Venegas team, ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties