Texas Woman Sues US After DACA Revocation Bid Following Deportation

A Texas woman deported to Mexico despite holding valid protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme has filed a lawsuit against the US federal government, challenging both her removal and the government's attempt to revoke her immigration protections.

Jessica Trevino, 34, who was brought to the United States from Mexico at the age of seven, is seeking a federal court order to facilitate her return and restore her DACA status, which was valid until April 2027. Her attorney argues that her deportation violated the programme's protections, which shield eligible undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children from deportation while allowing them to work legally.

Trevino and her husband were arrested by federal agents in December and later deported to Matamoros, Mexico, while their three US citizen children remain in Texas with relatives.

The case escalated after US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a notice of intent to terminate her DACA protection, citing "unauthorised travel outside of the United States" on March 25, 2026—the same day she was deported by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Her lawyer argues that a government-ordered deportation cannot legally be treated as voluntary or unauthorised travel.

The lawsuit has drawn attention because it could have far-reaching implications for US immigration policy. If upheld, the government's position could establish a precedent allowing authorities to revoke DACA protections after deporting recipients, raising concerns among immigration advocates about the programme's future safeguards.

Introduced in 2012, DACA does not provide permanent legal status or a pathway to citizenship, but it has allowed hundreds of thousands of eligible immigrants to live and work in the United States. According to DHS figures, the Trump administration has deported 86 DACA recipients and arrested 241 others, fuelling concerns among advocacy groups that beneficiaries are increasingly being targeted despite existing protections. The court's decision could influence how DACA protections are interpreted and enforced in future immigration cases.