Blumenthal Announces Six-Month Stay in Deportation of Francisco Acosta

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) announced today that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has granted a six month stay in the deportation of Francisco Acosta. He was scheduled to be deported on Wednesday, January 24. Senator Blumenthal wrote ICE in December requesting prosecutorial discretion in the case.

“I was thrilled and inspired to share this good news with Mr. Acosta moments ago and pledged to him that I will continue to be at his side fighting for him in this continuing battle. This six month stay is a temporary reprieve— a chance to redouble our advocacy and keep Francisco Acosta here in the country he has called home for nearly two decades. The huge outpouring of community support for Francisco Acosta is a testament to the kind of man he is—a hardworking, devoted son, brother, coworker and neighbor. USCIS has already approved his citizen mother’s application to sponsor him and I am hopeful that ICE will stay this needless deportation long enough to finalize that process. He faces serious threats to his life should he be forced to return to his native Colombia. This extension gives us a new chance to prove to ICE that deporting Mr. Acosta and denying a dying woman the care of her loving son would be a misuse of federal resources and a betrayal of American values,” Blumenthal said.