Mom of 5 granted permanent residency after 10-year deportation battle

Singing alongside her daughter, Guadalupe Lopez was overcome with emotion outside of The Meyer Law Office on Friday. After a 10-year deportation battle, Lopez and her husband Abel Bautista are celebrating being granted permanent residency to be able to stay in the country with their five U.S.-born children. Guadalupe arrived in the U.S. from Guatemala in 1998. Bautista arrived in 1997 from Mexico.

"Si se Pudo," Lopez shouted to the crowd. "When I would get to court, and see some of the people who are here today, who've given me support since day one, it would take away my stress."

In 2012, the family was stopped by Colorado State Patrol, after Bautista was driving 8 mph over the speed limit on I-70. Under a 287G agreement, advocates say state patrol acted as immigration officials, arresting everyone in the car and transferring them to immigration. Since then it's been a decade of ongoing court hearings and uncertainty.

"Both my husband and I were scared. We worried about what would happen to our kids, they are American, they have dreams," she said. "But thankfully, I feel calm now that this weight has been lifted. It's over, we won."

Hans Meyer, attorney for the couple, said cases like this aren't uncommon in Colorado, and many families have been in the same spot.

"For many years Colorado was really at the vanguard of the anti-immigrant movement," said Meyer. "There has been a shift, both good and bad, in immigration policy over the last six years, which often depends on what's happening in Washington DC."  

While Meyer said justice is attainable in the immigration system, the long, arduous process points to a larger issue.

"Our immigration system is in need of reform, because hard-working people, who are deep community members, deserve a chance to apply to become residents," said Meyer.

With this 10-year battle finally seeing its end, Lopez hopes her story gives hope to those in similar fights.

"Don't lose faith, keep fighting," she said.

Lopez, whose since become an immigration advocate, hopes to help other families in similar situations. She's also taking classed to learn English.