Jeanette Vizguerra, a mother and prominent activist under threat of deportation, on Thursday called to thank faith leaders and supporters who petitioned at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters in Washington, D.C., for a stay of removal and visa approval for Vizguerra. “Estamos contigo,” the gathering assured her over the phone. “We are with you.”
Vizguerra took sanctuary in Denver in 2017 when ICE refused to renew her stay of deportation. Under public pressure, she was granted 2-year stay, which is set to expire on Friday. She applied six years ago for a U visa, a non-immigrant visa for victims of certain crimes like domestic violence and sexual assault, but, due to significant backlogs in processing, she is still awaiting a decision.
