Blumenthal Statement on Joel Colindres

(Hartford, CT)- Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) released the following statement as friends and family rally today on behalf of Joel Colindres.

“My heart breaks as Joel Colindres fights yet another cold and callous attempt to break apart his beautiful family. I am in close contact with the Colindres family and their attorney to support all efforts to keep Joel here in Connecticut where he belongs.  Despite USCIS’s approval Samantha received in 2015 to sponsor her husband, Joel still has to take a few more steps before he is able to adjust his status. There is no reason to deport Joel now while USCIS needs more time to properly adjudicate his application. This nightmare is the direct result of a deportation regime that has lost all reason and rationality—a badly broken immigration system that betrays our fundamental American values and morals. I will continue to seek comprehensive immigration reform to bring lasting relief and certainty for the Colindres family and so many others facing such avoidable tragedy.

I will be contacting the Secretary of Homeland Security demanding Joel Colindres be given a full and fair day in court, and that this deportation be stopped. This deportation would violate the spirit of Secretary Nielsen’s assurances to me in this week’s hearing that the Department’s focus would be on criminals, not people like Joel who have worked hard, raised families, contributed to communities, and lived here for decades, without any criminal record.”