DACA recipient returns to U.S. after judge finds she was unlawfully deported

Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez has returned to the United States after a judge determined her deportation was unlawful, making her part of a widening group of DACA recipients facing removal proceedings. Estrada Juarez arrived in the country as a child and gained legal protections under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program established during the Obama administration. The ruling underscores ongoing legal battles over the status of DACA recipients, who have lived and worked in the U.S. for years but remain vulnerable to deportation challenges. The case reflects increasing pressure on immigrants who benefited from Obama-era protections as immigration enforcement priorities shift. Estrada Juarez's successful legal challenge suggests potential grounds for other DACA recipients contesting their removals.