U.S. citizen deported from Texas allowed back after new citizenship proof
A Texas man who was sent to Mexico despite claiming U.S. citizenship was permitted to re-enter the United States after his lawyers presented additional proof of his birth in Denver.
Brian José Morales García, a 25-year-old from Central Texas, was deported to Mexico after a police stop near Fredericksburg despite repeatedly telling officers he was a U.S. citizen born in Denver and offering to show his birth certificate and Social Security card. The Department of Homeland Security maintained he had entered illegally, but Morales’ legal team later filed additional evidence—including hospital records, affidavits and a certified Colorado birth record—into a lawsuit challenging the removal.
On Sunday, the Department of Justice authorized his re-entry while the case continues, and his attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch met him in Laredo. Morales holds dual citizenship with Mexico, and discrepancies in his Mexican ID stem from a clerical error. The incident highlights concerns about alleged racial profiling and the difficulty of proving citizenship, echoing prior reports of U.S. citizens mistakenly detained or deported. Federal spokespersons did not respond to requests for comment.
Why it matters
It shows how U.S. citizens can be mistakenly deported, raising questions about immigration enforcement practices.
How this story developed
- Aug 13 San Antonio immigrants live in constant fear as ICE arrests surge
- Aug 18 ICE released a draft plan to provide liability insurance to local officers making immigration arrests.
- Aug 22 San Diego County board approved a narrow vote to halt ICE and CBP firearms training at county‑owned ranges.
- Aug 23 An investigation found that 71% of detainee grievances were dismissed and only 8% were resolved in detainees’ favor.
- Aug 25 ICE began using a $45 billion allocation to shift legal ownership of detention centers to the federal government.
In this story
Related stories
10 in this thread