Deported immigrant allowed back in U.S.

MIAMI, Nov. 18 (UPI) -- A man from El Salvador was allowed to return to Miami this week, months after being deported as an illegal alien.

Eduardo Soto, a lawyer representing Jose Rodriguez-Portillo, told The Miami Herald his client, like many other Salvadorans, was granted temporary refuge in the United States after devastating earthquakes in 2002.

Rodriguez-Portillo, whose wife remained in the United States, rejoined her Tuesday. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agreed last week to review his status, something that rarely happens once an immigrant has been deported.

Immigration officials refused to comment on his case.

Soto is also representing two brothers from Venezuela, Guillermo Reyes, 25, a recent graduate of Miami Dade College, and his brother, Jesus Jr., 21, who is a student there.

Immigration advocates say both cases show the government is not concentrating on expelling criminal immigrants.

"While immigration officials are saying they are focusing efforts on picking up immigrants with criminal histories, in fact, students who have excelled in school are being picked up," said Cheryl Little, executive director of the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center.