A U.S. judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deporting an immigration activist, Jeanette Vizguerra, in Colorado. Vizguerra, a Mexican national known for seeking refuge in a church to avoid deportation during President Trump’s first term, cannot be relocated from Colorado without further court approval, ruled U.S. District Judge Nina Wang. A hearing is scheduled for March 28 regarding the case. Vizguerra was arrested in Denver on Monday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and she has filed legal challenges against her detention order. The Trump administration’s immigration crackdown has drawn criticism, with Vizguerra’s detention sparking protests and concerns from Colorado Democrats about separating her from her U.S. citizen children. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has condemned Vizguerra’s arrest as political persecution disguised as immigration enforcement. ICE has not commented on the court order issued on Friday. Vizguerra, who first entered the U.S. illegally in 1997, has been battling deportation attempts since 2009. Her case gained national attention when she sought sanctuary in a church in 2017 to avoid deportation by the Trump administration, and she received temporary relief in 2021 under the Biden administration.
