CHC CHAIR GONZALEZ STATEMENT ON REUNIFICATION OF EMILY SAMANTHA RUIZ AND HER PARENTS

(Washington, DC) – Today, Congressman Charles A. Gonzalez, Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus issued the following statement regarding the reunification of Emily Samantha Ruiz, a four-year old American citizen who was mistakenly deported to Guatemala earlier this month, and her parents:

“We can all rest easier today knowing that Emily is back with her parents and in the country where she belongs. But Emily is not alone. The overwhelming majority of children of undocumented immigrants living in the United States are US Citizens and, although each case is unique, the fear and uncertainty they face every day is something no child should live with. The fact that, in this case, the Department of Homeland Security deported a US citizen is of particular concern. We all know our immigration system is broken, and this is one glaring example of its failure. We are committed to working on a sensible solution that reinforces our laws and upholds our values. But in the absence of comprehensive immigration reform the DHS needs to ensure that no US Citizen child is ever deported again and that no parent is faced with the decision that the Ruizes were forced to make.”