Deported Raleigh Resident Returns to U.S. Amid Legal Battle Over Immigration Status
José Eliezer Martinez-Andino, a young Honduran man and former Raleigh resident, has returned to the United States after being deported last spring. Martinez-Andino, who holds Special Juvenile Immigrant Status (SIJS), was deported to Honduras in April after being detained by immigration officials in Montana and Arizona. He was pressured to sign voluntary departure forms before being flown to his hometown of Tela in Honduras. Recently, he boarded a flight from San Pedro Sula, Honduras, to Harlingen, Texas, where he is currently detained. His attorney, Allison Chan, confirmed his return and expressed hope for his legal relief. Martinez-Andino, who crossed into the U.S. as an unaccompanied minor at 14, was granted SIJS and deferred action in 2023. A U.S. District Court judge ordered his return and restoration of his legal status in June. 
