A Meriden mother who was supposed to be deported to Ecuador Wednesday will be allowed to stay in the United States as her appeal moves through court.
Nelly Cumbicos has lived in the U.S. for the last 18 years, most recently in Meriden.
She married a U.S. citizen in 2015 and applied for citizenship two years later. That is when she learned there had been a deportation order for her since 2002 for failure to appear in court. She said she was not aware of the court date she was supposed to appear for.
Two weeks ago, Cumbicos received a stay as a court reviewed her immigration status. Days later, she was told her stay had been reversed and she was due to be deported on Feb. 28.
Speaking in Spanish Wednesday, she said she is a mom who is trying to be strong for her husband and son, but inside she feels total chaos.
She said she left Ecuador after her family received threats there and her whole family, including her sister Flor, lives in the U.S.
Officials from U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement released a statement Wednesday night that said Cumbicos is not in ICE custody as the court hears her appeal.
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“Ms. Cumbicos, an Ecuadoran national whose scheduled removal has now been deferred by a court pending a decision on a motion filed in her case, continues to remain under an alternative-to-detention status (not in ICE custody) pending the outcome of that appeal,” the statement said.
