Union City grandfather facing deportation gets 1-year stay

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A Union City grandfather who was facing deportation will be allowed to stay in the U.S. for at least another year.

Catalino Guerrero, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, was granted a stay of a removal by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a spokesman for the agency said.

“I am very relieved to see Catalino has been granted an opportunity to pursue every legal avenue to stay where he belongs: In his adoptive country, in his home and with his family here in New Jersey,” said Sen. Robert Menendez, D-NJ, who said he called Guerrero with the news.

Menendez joined Cardinal Joseph Tobin, Archbishop of Newark and hundreds of supporters last month outside the federal immigration building in Newark to fight for Guerrero’s stay.

Jennie Medina, who helped file Guerrero’s stay of removal said everybody was celebrating the news, which came last Monday.

“He’s so excited and he’s very happy, he doesn’t have as much stress,” Medina said of Guerrero.

Medina said ICE called her office with the news ahead of Guerrero’s planned check-in with ICE. She said the agency approved a one-year stay of removal even though the attorneys had requested six months.

“They know there is movement happening,” Medina said, referring to Guerrero’s plan to apply for a U-Visa that allows undocumented immigrants who have been victims of crimes and who have helped authorities investigate receive permanent residency.

Guerrero was a victim of a home invasion in 2007, he said.

ICE told Guerrero to bring his wife, Margarita Guerrero, for his meeting Thursday morning but Medina said that’s likely because his wife is also listed on the U-Visa application.

“The ICE officer has said there’s nothing to worry about,” Medina said. “We’ll see how that goes.”

Under what advocates have said was bad legal advice, Guerreo filed for asylum in 1992. His case was denied and in 2009 he was ordered deported. He was arrested by ICE in 2011 and granted a stay of removal and an order of supervision due to his poor health.

Guerrero said he has no criminal record and works as a delivery man and Uber driver.

“Catalino’s case reinforces the urgent need for us to stand united in seeking common sense solutions to our broken immigration system that are consistent with our core American principles,” Sen. Cory Booker, D-NJ, said in a statement.

 Guerrero has lived in the U.S. for more than 25 years and owns his home in Union County. He has four children and four grandchildren.

“Everything that I’ve earned, everything that I’ve worked for, I’ve invested here,” he told reporters last month.

Just after he received an extension, Catalino Guerrero walks out of the Federal Building. Catalino Guerrero, of Union City, was granted an extension to remain in the U.S. after a meeting with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials Friday morning in Newark. Guerrero, 59, was originally ordered deported several years ago but the order has been stayed multiple times as he has remained under ICE supervision. A large group of people including family, advocates, Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, the Archbishop of Newark, and Sen. Robert Menendez rallied in support of Guerrero before his meeting. Friday March 10, 2017. Newark, NJ, USA (Aristide Economopoulos | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

After his hearing Catalino Guerrero prays with supporters at a nearby church. Catalino Guerrero, of Union City, was granted an extension to remain in the U.S. after a meeting with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials Friday morning in Newark. Guerrero, 59, was originally ordered deported several years ago but the order has been stayed multiple times as he has remained under ICE supervision. A large group of people including family, advocates, Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, the Archbishop of Newark, and Sen. Robert Menendez rallied in support of Guerrero before his meeting. Friday March 10, 2017. Newark, NJ, USA

Sen. Robert Menendez, left, and Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, the Archbishop of Newark, right, escort Catalino Guerrero to the Federal Building for his hearing. Catalino Guerrero, of Union City, was granted an extension to remain in the U.S. after a meeting with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials Friday morning in Newark. Guerrero, 59, was originally ordered deported several years ago but the order has been stayed multiple times as he has remained under ICE supervision. A large group of people including family, advocates, Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, the Archbishop of Newark, and Sen. Robert Menendez rallied in support of Guerrero before his meeting. Friday March 10, 2017. Newark, NJ, USA