Two Lengthy Island brothers had been left shocked and confused after federal brokers had them deported to El Salvador, as their lawyer referred to as it unfair that they had been faraway from “the only home they have ever known” regardless of having finished nothing incorrect.
“We are not a threat to the country. We are not criminals,” mentioned Jose Lopez, 20.
He and brother Josue, 19, spoke from El Salvador to reporters by way of an web hyperlink arrange at their lawyer’s East Islip workplace on Thursday.
“We did nothing bad,” added Josue Lopez. “We always followed the law.”
The brothers from Central Islip had been detained by federal immigration brokers in March, their lawyer Ala Amoachi mentioned. It occurred throughout what the brothers believed was a routine go to to Federal Plaza in Manhattan.
The younger males had been later moved first to a facility in upstate New York, then to Louisiana. On Could 7, they had been positioned on a airplane for El Salvador.
“When they closed the door of the airplane, I wanted to cry. It was over,” Jose mentioned.
The Lopez brothers had been 10 and 11, their lawyer mentioned, when their mother introduced them throughout the U.S. border in 2016. The household utilized for asylum, claiming they had been making an attempt to flee violent gangs in El Salvador.
“The public should recognize these children came with no control over their circumstances. This is the only home they have ever known,” mentioned Amoachi.
In the course of the subsequent 9 years, Amoachi mentioned immigration officers denied the brothers’ asylum request thrice. However they continued to pursue different avenues to stay within the nation and checked in repeatedly with immigration officers.
“They are good people,” the boys’ mom, Alma Lopez, mentioned by means of a translator.
Alma Lopez stays within the U.S. with one other son who is alleged to be disabled.
“I just ask that they have another opportunity to return to this country,” the mom mentioned.
Throughout their time within the U.S., the brothers constructed lives in Georgia and on Lengthy Island. Josue was on account of comply with in his older brother’s footsteps and graduate from a Georgia highschool later this month.
“I was hoping for them to see us for who were are right now, what we have done,” Jose Lopez mentioned.
The brothers’ lawyer mentioned she is going to proceed to pursue their case, hoping to reverse the deportation on humanitarian grounds. She has posted a petition on change.org, asking for his or her return.
For now, the Lopez brothers have been residing with a household pal in El Salvador, saying they’re afraid to go away the house and are fearful about their future plans to work as a welder or monetary planner.
“I still have faith and hope we might get a second opportunity to get back to the country and pursue the dreams we have,” Jose Lopez mentioned.
