By Nick Norlen, Staff Writer
In a turn of events one supporter called a “miracle,” the Princeton Township family who was facing deportation has been allowed to stay in the country under special conditions set by the immigration authorities who raided the family’s home just last week.
The decision to suspend the deportation was made at least in part because one of the couple’s daughters has a severe disability and requires specialized medical care, according to authorities.
Javier Quiej, 39, and his son, Princeton High School graduate Javier Quiej Jr., 19 — both illegal immigrants from Guatemala — were arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at their home early March 13 on outstanding warrants of deportation issued in 1997. The elder Mr. Quiej’s wife, Graciela Quiej, was served with a notice to appear at an immigration hearing for deportation within a week. Only one of the family’s three daughters is a U.S. citizen. The middle daughter, 18-year-old Ebelin, suffers from cerebral palsy, seizures, and is mentally disabled.
With the two men being held at separate detention facilities, a local attorney, an area immigrant advocate, members of the family’s church and even a congressman came to the aid of Ms. Quiej in her fight to prevent her family’s deportation.
It paid off.
”They’re home. All of them are home. The father, the son … and the Holy Spirit,” immigrant advocate Maria Juega said Wednesday. “Literally — because they’ve been praying so hard. Maybe that’s what made this miracle happen. That and the goodwill of the immigration case agent.”
Ms. Quiej and her lawyer, Princeton-based immigration attorney Stephen Traylor, were notified of the decision to grant the family “supervision status” at her deportation hearing Wednesday.
ICE Spokesman Michael Gilhooly said the “order of supervision” is “not dissimilar to saying they were released on a bond or their own recognizance.”
Similar to parolees, the family members to whom the order applies — the two men, Ms. Quiej, and the oldest daughter, 18-year-old Johana — must now report to ICE on a regular basis, make authorities aware of any address changes, and “agree to report if we’re going to remove them,” Mr. Gilhooly said.
”When we release individuals on orders of supervision, we expect them to hold their end of the bargain,” he said.
Mr. Gilhooly said the decision to release the men and issue a supervision order for the family was based on the fact that they don’t pose a “flight risk” or a “public safety issue.”
Moreover, “we did become aware of humanitarian issues,” he said, referring to Ebelin’s need for medical treatment.
During his effort to block the deportation, Mr. Traylor, who deals with similar cases on a regular basis, presented 140 pages of documents detailing Ebelin’s longtime treatment at Shriner’s Hospital in Philadelphia.
He admitted Wednesday that he was surprised by the decision.
”It was a humanitarian gesture by ICE. I’ve never seen them do anything like this before, honestly. But certainly we are pleased,” he said. “ICE is not going to pursue them as long as they report properly every month. As long as everybody behaves themselves, I’m sure they’ll let them stay, probably permanently.”
But Mr. Gilhooly emphasized that the order does not grant the family “any immigration status at all.” He also downplayed the decision, calling it “routine” and declining to comment on the possibility that the family members could acquire permanent residency status.
Still, Mr. Traylor said he is looking into obtaining proper status for the family, and plans to submit an application for work authorization.
For now, he said he’s allowing the family to enjoy the homecoming. Mr. Traylor said Ebelin smiled when Ms. Quiej said her father was coming home.
Ms. Juega said the family is “very thankful to everyone who has supported them” and that “they attribute this miracle — and it really is a miracle — to all the prayers.”
Part of the support also came from members of U.S. Rep. Rush Holt’s office, Ms. Juega said. According to spokesman Zach Goldberg, Rep. Holt (D-12) sent two letters to ICE asking for the father and son to be united and asking the agency to allow the family to stay until after Ebelin’s surgery.
