Via Stop The Deportations, a very positive development in the case of Rodrigo Martinez, who is married to Edwin Echegoyen and facing deportation:
Today we can share with you the news that Baltimore Immigration Judge Lisa Dornell has ordered that Rodrigo's case be re-opened. In doing so, the judge has canceled the deportation order that had been entered against him in November 2008. Instead he will return to court on September 12, 2011 for re-opened proceedings.Congrats to Lavi Soloway and his team.
Judge Dornell, who had ordered Rodrigo deported in 2008, has now decided, on her own accord, that it is "in the interest of justice" to re-open proceedings and to give Rodrigo another opportunity to win protection from deportation. Specifically, Judge Dornell has re-opened proceedings (1) to determine whether Rodrigo is eligible for protection from deportation because of country conditions in El Salvador for gay men and (2) to determine the relevance, to this case, of any change in policy or law impacting married gay binational couples with pending green card petitions.
Because Rodrigo was ordered deported in 2008, this action by the Immigration Judge is a tremendous victory. This is the first time that efforts by Stop The Deportations have succeeded in reversing a final order of removal and re-opening proceedings.
Isn't this the kind of news we've wanted to hear for over two years now?
