Beware! Checking Your Mail Could Get You Deported.

Reynaldo came to the U.S. from the Philippines nine years ago on a tourist visa and never went back. He left in the Philippines five children and a wife, and decided to work here to support them. Though sad without his family, he sacrificed being with them so he could give them a better life in the Philippines.

Year after year, he worked long hours and saved all the money he could, living humbly in a rented room. Every month for nine years he has sent money home to his family. Because of his sacrifice, his family lives comfortably and his two oldest daughters are in nursing school in the Philippines.

But last month, Reynaldo’s loving daughter unknowingly caused her dad’s deportation when she sent him a package from the Philippines. The package went through customs at the airport in San Francisco, and Reynaldo went there to pick it up. When trying to retrieve the package from the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection, he was asked for his ID. When he couldn’t produce a valid ID, he was questioned regarding his immigration status in the U.S.

This questioning led to Reynaldo being placed in deportation proceedings because he has no legal status here in the U.S. He faces certain deportation because he does not qualify for any relief from deportation. His daughters’ nursing careers are now uncertain, and his family will suddenly be without income.

Beware, if you or someone you know has overstayed a required deadline to leave the U.S. and is here illegally, think carefully about coming into contact with the Department of Homeland Security. The consequences could be severe if you have no relief from deportation. If you are placed in deportation proceedings, immediately seek help from a knowledgeable immigration attorney to see what defense you might have from deportation. It could make all the difference in your future.