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A6 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 13 February 2020

Judge sides with couples suing feds over marriage interviews

By REGINA GARCIA CANO plaintiffs' "claims are not
Associated Press likely to be successful."
BALTIMORE (AP) — A fed- The ruling only applies to
eral judge in Maryland anyone living in Maryland,
has banned immigration but the ACLU is also pursu-
officials from arresting, de- ing a similar complaint in
taining and deporting im- Massachusetts. It is unclear
migrants who are seeking how many people must be
legal status based on their released from custody un-
marriages to U.S. citizens. der Hazel's ruling.
U.S. District Judge George Among the plaintiffs is El-
J. Hazel issued the ruling mer Sanchez, a native of
Friday in a case filed by six Honduras who was ordered
couples accusing immigra- in absentia to be deported
tion officials of luring fami- in 2005 and married a U.S.
lies to marriage interviews citizen in 2013. He was tak-
in Baltimore, only to detain en into custody in May mo-
the immigrant spouse for ments after he and his wife
deportation. Hazel also or- successfully finished their in-
dered U.S. Immigration and terview with an immigration
Customs Enforcement to officer in Baltimore.
release from custody immi- He was released six weeks
grants married to U.S. citi- later after the ACLU sought
zens detained before they In this June 21, 2019, file photo, Alyse Sanchez and her husband, Elmer Sanchez, pose for The an emergency order to
could complete the first Associated Press in Sandy Spring, Md. Associated Press prevent imminent deporta-
step of the process to ob- tion.
tain legal residency. interviews. nent U.S. residents through nerable immigrant commu- "These families endured
Federal regulations allow The months-long process the Obama-era regula- nities, and diminishes the trauma under the actions
U.S. citizens to try to legal- typically requires couples tions. They were created emotional and financial im- of ICE," ACLU of Maryland
ize the status of spouses to demonstrate the legiti- to significantly reduce the pact on families participat- attorney Nick Steiner said
who have been living in macy of their marriage as time that U.S. citizens are ing in the provisional waiver in a statement Monday.
the country illegally, includ- part of the first step. If the separated from immedi- process," Hazel wrote. He "Their blatant disregard for
ing those with deportation couples pass an interview ate family members while has not ruled on the class their own rules and regu-
orders. But the American and earn other approvals, trying to build a lawful im- certification sought by the lations that are meant to
Civil Liberties Union, which immigrant spouses eventu- migration case from their plaintiffs. prevent family separation
is representing the Mary- ally must travel abroad for home countries. ICE did not immediately is unconstitutional. We are
land couples, has argued a visa interview at a U.S. "(T)his order is in the public respond to a request for hopeful about the ruling
that a growing number of consulate. Only if they re- interest because it requires comment. The government and we believe it's a step in
officers have "cruelly twist- ceive a visa can they return Respondents to comport in its response filed last year the right direction in recog-
ed" the rules by detaining to the U.S. legally. with their own rules and asked Hazel to dismiss the nizing that immigrants have
immigrant spouses follow- It's unclear how many peo- regulations, bars arbitrary case arguing the court constitutional protections
ing the required marriage ple have become perma- agency action toward vul- lacked jurisdiction and the too."q
2nd case of new coronavirus confirmed among China evacuees

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A sec- in Southern California last hospital on Monday after hospitalized in isolation. families, have arrived at
ond case of novel corona- week, the CDC said. testing positive for the virus. "We want to reassure our military bases in Califor-
virus has been confirmed in The patient was in isolation She was expected to make patients, their loved ones nia, Texas and Nebraska
the U.S. among evacuees at a San Diego hospital, a full recovery. and the community at aboard chartered flights
from China, the U.S. Cen- UC San Diego Health con- The two patients "arrived on large that there is no expo- from Wuhan, a city of 11
ters for Disease Control and firmed. different planes and were sure risk at any UC San Di- million that is the epicen-
Prevention announced Also in isolation is a woman housed in separate facili- ego Health hospitals or clin- ter for the virus. The only
Wednesday. who was mistakenly re- ties; there are no epidemi- ics," the health system said confirmed evacuee cases
The person was aboard a leased because of a misla- ologic links between them," in a statement. were at Miramar, where
flight from the city of Wu- beled sample that hadn't a CDC statement said. Hundreds of people, in- about 200 people are be-
han that arrived at Marine been tested for coronavi- A third person whose test cluding U.S. State Depart- ing held under quarantine
Corps Air Station Miramar rus. She was returned to the results are pending also is ment employees and their until all are cleared.q