Valley Woman to be Deported | ABC30 Fresno

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By ABC30

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Fresno, CA, USA A serious case of valley fever in 2001, left Guadalupe Huerta unable to move or speak ... But thanks to the care of his wife Lucila, Guadalupe has made significant progress. Now, that he's able to talk ... he makes one request:

Guadalupe Huerta: "Without her, I won't be able to live much longer so I'm asking for someone to help us."

Lucila is set to be deported on Wednesday. Because she was caught trying to enter the country illegally in 1999, she is not eligible for a green card.

Camille Cook, Attorney: "Right now the law does not provide for any kind of a waiver, any kind of pardon even if you're married to a US citizen. So she says she is willing to go if she has to, but again to punish her husband for her mistake seems very harsh to us."

Lucila is Guadalupe's sole caregiver and fears his health will deteriorate if she is forced to leave him.

Lucila Huerta: "If they want to deport me and my husband is okay and can do things on his own again then I will leave, but right now he needs me."

Cook: "She has received special training here to take care of him and of course you can see that she does it with love which makes all the difference."

Guadalupe will have to be institutionalized if Lucila returns to Mexico and finding a place that provides the 24-hour care he needs will not only be difficult, but costly.

Laurie Haun-Jones, Social Worker: "Medi-cal would probably end up paying over 50-thousand dollars a year out of taxpayer money. So his wife is providing 24-hour nursing care here, which saves money and allows the family to stay together."

That family includes their 2-year adopted daughter Karen. Lucila says she's hoping for a last-minute miracle and hasn't even thought of packing.

Lucila: "If they take away the most important thing which is my familia ... then I don't want anything. I'll leave with what I came, with nothing."

Lucila is hoping "ICE" with grant her "deferred action status" so she can remain in the U-S to care for her husband. She is also asking Senator Barbara boxer to intervene on her behalf. As for her 2-year old daughter-- she could end up in foster care.

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