Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Costa Rican Woman And Baby Get Visas Revoked On Arrival At Airport In Texas Under Muslim Ban

A Costa Rican woman and a baby had their visas revoked shortly after arriving at a Houston airport.

By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

February 1, 2017

Houston, Texas - A woman and her baby had their visas revoked after she was coerced to voluntarily surrender the U.S. Visas. According to a Facebook posting by Adriana Portillo, her cousin had valid U.S. Visas to enter the country, but when her cousin arrived at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport, she was detained under President Donald Trump's, aka, "Trumpnazi" Muslim Ban executive order which prevented those arriving from seven Muslim countries to be denied entry whether with green cards or valid visas.
Portillo posted in her Facebook on early Wednesday, "They are detaining all tourists from entering the usa. My cousin from Costa Rica who has had valid tourist visas and has traveled here for YEARS was detained in Houston airport and got her and her 6 month old sons tourist visas revoked. They went through her phone and took the baby from her and left that 6 month old baby crying just to intimidate her into signing thier visas away. I am desperately looking for any Houston lawyers or any help I can get. I can't even speak to her to know what's going. Please someone help, I am desperate. She has done nothing wrong, no criminal record and was coming here legally!!!"
Sean Spicer, the Press Secretary for the Trumpnazi administration has insisted it wasn't a ban, but in previous statements he did say a ban including President Trumpnazi who had called it a ban as well. Apparently, those arriving in the U.S. from the Muslim countries listed as banned will be vetted and are now allowing those with green cards or permanent residency status to enter the country. Reports from U.S. airports around the country have indicated that people arriving at airports continue to be detained by DHS ICE.
Portillo's cousin is the first reported case that Costa Rica nationals with valid U.S. Visas has been denied entry and coerced to surrender visas by keeping the child (nephew) from her care.
Portillo posted that her cousin is scheduled to be deported at 5:00 p.m. today, according to the Costa Rica Consulate. She can't contact her cousin because they took her cellphone and is detained. She doesn't know why she was denied entry and being deported.
Portillo posted, "Thank you everyone for the outpouring of support! Adriana still doesn't have her phone so we can't speak to her but the Costa Rican conulsate says she has her deportation flight at 5pm today. We are trying our best to get her out but no luck yet...They intimidated her to sign a revoke of their visas. We can't speak to her so its hard to kn."
Several Houston area attorneys have been trying to look into her case, but are not able to talk to her personally due to restrictions as a detainee.
Luis Andres Salazar, who lives in Costa Rica when contacted by Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) identified his sister as Adriana Salazar Avila, 28, and her 6-month-old nephew as Santiago Jimenez Salazar. Luis says, that Adriana has been detained for more than 24 hours including her nephew, DHS ICE officials at the airport had  "forced her to sign paperwork to revoke her and the babies visa."

Update: According to the North Dallas Gazette, Adriana arrived with her mother, Vilma Salazar and her 6-month-old nephew when detained. Vilma was allowed to continue to Dallas to visit her family and her valid 6-month visa was limited to February 25, which she was ordered by DHS ICE to leave the country.
Adriana was deported to Costa Rica including her nephew. DHS ICE had accused that they were smuggling drugs in unopened coffee bags, but when officials opened the bags and checked, they found no drugs, according to the North Dallas Gazette.
Luis confirmed, that Adriana and her nephew were deported from Houston at 5:20 p.m. on Wednesday and DHS ICE returned her cell phone once she was in the plane headed to Costa Rica. She is now safe back home, but traumatized (shocked) about her experience at the airport with U.S. Customs officials.


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