Last Friday, February 28, the Peruvian migrant Camila Muñoz She was arrested when she returned from her honeymoon by Immigration and Customs Control Service (ICEfor its acronym in English) at the International Airport of San Juan, Puerto Ricodespite being married to the American citizen Bradley Bartell.
According to Bartell, he had traveled with his wife to the Caribbean island for his honeymoon. However, when they were at the Puerto Rico airport to return to the United States, Muñoz was asked if it was United States And she replied that no, “because it is still in the process” after marrying.
“To all who passed through the United States Transportation Security Administration (TSAfor its acronym in English) they were asked if they were American citizens, but when she explained her situation, they took her to another room And they didn’t let me see it, ”Bradley explained in a video posted on social networks.
According to her husband, Camila does not have criminal records And he is currently processing his residence in the United States, taking into account that this is one of the benefits by marrying an American citizen. Therefore, they consulted their situation with a migration lawyer before traveling and told them there was no problem.
MIGRATORY STATUS ADJUSTMENT
Marrying an American citizen can lead to obtaining a green card (Green Card, in English), which grants the status of Permanent resident in the United States to the foreign person. The process implies requesting a visa, marrying and then adjusting the applicant’s immigration status.
According to the immigration lawyer Alex Gálvezthe Peruvian immigrant and her American husband were “poorly advised in the United States”, taking into consideration that, although Puerto Rico is a territory from the United States, the customs control service is still considered a international travel.
“When an immigrant has a pending procedure in migration and makes the decision of Leave the United States territorytechnically loses the entire process he carried out for the permanent residence, ”added Gálvez, who also mentioned that, in addition to Camila Muñoz, Ice arrested more than 10 people that night in San Juan.
For now, the husband’s husband said he regrets having voted for the president Donald Trump And confessed in social networks that he constantly receives insults from the Latin community: “They call me silly because many say that because of my fault my wife is locked up in a cage”, He said.
“Unfortunately, the history of the Peruvian Camila Muñoz should serve as an example for the other immigrants who are in a similar situation. It must be remembered that if you are not a permanent resident, you are not an American citizen and, therefore, You can’t leave the United States”, Added the migration lawyer.
Eighteen days after Ice stopped his wife, Bradley Bartell still looks for ways to free her and avoid her deportation To Peru. “I am seeing if I manage to pay the bail And thus be able to get her out of there. We planned to have children After the honeymoon, but nothing will be possible if I can’t free her from Detention Center“He added.