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California immigrant faces deportation

On Behalf of | May 26, 2011 | Criminal Defense

Many immigrants seek assistance when it comes to integration into the United States. Protecting the right for immigrants to both work and live in the U.S. requires adherence to a host of laws and legal parameters. Whether an immigrant is brand new to America or has been living and working in the U.S. for a number of years, certain events could lead to his or her deportation from the country.

Recently, a Guatemalan immigrant living in California was accused of being involved in a 1982 massacre that took place in Guatemala, prompting the U.S. government to order that he be deported from the country.

The 54-year-old immigrant was living in California and working as a maintenance worker when he was arrested for immigration violations. The man allegedly took part in a brutal attack on a village in Guatemala during the country’s civil war in the early ’80s. According to reports, he was a member of an army unit that took part in a vicious carnage that took place in the village of Dos Erres. Reports about the incident state that 250 men, women and children were killed in the attack. As a result of the allegations, the man now faces deportation following a California federal judge’s ruling.

The deportation order may be appealed through the Board of Immigration Appeals if the man so chooses. According to reports, he had already applied for asylum and had been living in California years when the allegations surfaced.

Facing deportation can be a frightening experience. You may feel that there is nothing you can do to prevent it. However, experienced California defense attorneys know that strong cases can be built to challenge a deportation order.

Source: Fox News Latino, “Pedro Pimentel Rios- Southern California Man; to be Deported Over 1982 Massacre in Guatemala,” Adrian Carrasquillo, 12 May 2011