SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio family is fighting to get their loved one back after a lengthy immigration process left him in Mexico.
Kendall Zurita’s husband, Carlos Zurita, is attempting to obtain a visa and eventually become a citizen of the United States. However, she said they have spent about $17,000 over the course of seven or eight years, and now Carlos Zurita is stuck in Mexico.
“It’s been hard,” Kendall Zurita said. “I work full-time, I go to school full-time, I have the four boys. He’s the breadwinner of our family, so now that he’s gone, we’re having a hard time.”
Carlos Zurita came to the U.S. when he was 2 years old. While it was not his decision, he was technically brought to the U.S. illegally. He later became a protected person under DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which prevents deportation.
“His DACA renewals are about $1,600 that he goes through every two years,” Kendall Zurita said. “We have to keep that in legal status, and he has to go through background checks.”
However, Carlos Zurita’s process of becoming a U.S. citizen has overlapped with his DACA process, resulting in additional costs.
“While we’re renewing his DACA every two years, we’re also paying for this process to go on between the last eight years,” Kendall Zurita said. “I would have bet we’ve spent about $15-$17,000 just on immigration fees and lawyer fees.”
Although he has never been to Mexico, he has been there for a month because the next steps to obtain his visa must be completed in his home country.
“He has to go through medical exams, he has to pass a background check there, once he does that, he goes to his interview with a consulate,” Kendall Zurita said. “He did have DACA, so he did have legal authorization to be here, but once he left, he surrendered his DACA.”
Now, Carlos Zurita has completed all the steps for his visa, but he still can’t return to where he calls home because his visa to the U.S. was refused.
“It is under refusal under 221(g),” Zurita shared.
According to the U.S. Department of State, a visa refusal under section 221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act means the “applicant was not eligible for a visa after completing the process.”
This decision can be reconsidered and overturned, and that’s what Kendall Zurita and her children are hoping happens.
“For DACA recipients, for kids that we brought here like my husband who was brought here at two, I feel like they should have a pathway to citizenship,” Kendall Zurita said.
Zurita has reached out to Congressman Greg Casar’s office for assistance. His office told KSAT that if anyone is experiencing an immigration issue or delay, they can contact his office.
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