MILWAUKEE — A Milwaukee teacher's aide and mother of two has self-deported to El Salvador after receiving notice that her temporary stay in the United States was denied.
On Tuesday, Yessenia Ruano and her family departed from Milwaukee Mitchell Airport in what witnesses described as an emotional farewell.
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Despite previously being granted a temporary stay while waiting for her human trafficking visa to be processed, Ruano received a letter last week informing her that her stay was denied and she needed to leave the country.
The departure marks the latest development in what Ruano describes as an emotionally and financially exhausting back-and-forth process with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding her immigration status.
Ruano says that at the beginning of the year, DHS officials instructed her to return to El Salvador; she had been living without legal status. Ruano said she fled the country due to poverty, trafficking and fears for her personal safety.
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"I don't have idea because El Salvador is different than when I came 14 years ago, and I have to be there to process—to begin a new ... to start a new beginning," Ruano said.
Tuesday morning, Fellow teachers from the ALBA School, representatives from the teachers union, members of Voces de la Frontera, and family members gathered at the airport to support Ruano, with many shedding tears as she departed.
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For now, Ruano and her family will be staying with her mother in El Salvador, though their long-term plans remain uncertain.
Despite the challenges, Ruano remains hopeful that she and her daughters will someday be able to return to the United States.
Following Ruano's departure, members of the Milwaukee Common Council issued a joint statement:
Earlier today, Mrs. Yessenia Ruano, the teacher’s aide who is a hard-working, contributing member of our community, self-deported to El Salvador with her daughters after ICE denied her request to remain in the U.S. while her visa application was pending.
This is a sad day, and the implications of this decision should concern us all. ICE officials noted to Mrs. Ruano and her lawyer that she “did not warrant a favorable exercise of discretion.”
She is a mother, a wife, an educator, a volunteer, an integral part of our community with no criminal record or other issues to speak of, and someone who came to this country with the goal of fleeing from violence and seeking a better life. Frankly, if Yessenia doesn’t deserve favorable discretion, who does?
All factors being considered, it seems immoral that this family is being uprooted from America. A place that she risked life and limb to come to…a place she thought she’d be safe. Families like Mrs. Ruano’s are exactly who we should want to support and uplift. Immigrants contribute a great deal to the social and economic fabric of our community, and they should be afforded the same opportunities and due process as everyone else. She invested in her community and the community invested in her…what a shame that it’s come to this.
We hope to see Yessenia’s visa application approved, and her and her daughters back in Milwaukee where they belong.
Ruano's attorney issued the following statement:
Today, our friend Ms. Yessenia Ruano—a beloved Milwaukee Public Schools teacher’s aide, mother of 10-year-old twin daughters, and survivor of human trafficking—departed the United States to return to El Salvador after 14 years of living, working, and contributing to the Milwaukee community. Her departure comes after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) denied her emergency request to remain in the country while her T Visa application, based on her status as a trafficking victim, remains pending.
ICE offered no explanation for the denial beyond a vague conclusion that she did not merit a “favorable exercise of discretion.” In the face of this decision and after carefully reviewing her remaining legal options, Ms. Ruano made the heartbreaking choice not to pursue further motions and instead return to El Salvador with her daughters.
Yessenia is returning to a country marked by persistent violence—one where her own brother was brutally murdered by criminal gangs. She leaves behind a supportive community in Milwaukee, where she has lived with dignity and purpose. Her departure has drawn deep concern from educators, advocates, and neighbors alike
Throughout her time in the United States, Yessenia followed every rule required of her. She lawfully entered the U.S. after receiving a credible fear finding based on the danger she faced in El Salvador. She obtained work authorization and has always complied with the law—raising her daughters, working with children in Milwaukee Public Schools, and supporting her community.
Yessenia has also shown remarkable bravery in making her story public. By speaking out about her experience as a trafficking survivor and immigrant, she inspired countless others and gave a human face to an often-dehumanizing immigration system. Her courage has resonated across the state of Wisconsin, sparking compassion, understanding, and a renewed call for reform.
She remains hopeful that one day she will be able to return to the United States through approval of her T Visa. But even under the best circumstances, that process can take five to ten years—or longer.
Yessenia’s story is a painful reminder of how broken our immigration system has become. It reveals how survivors of trauma—people fleeing death, violence, and exploitation—can find no pathway to safety, even when they do everything by the law. It highlights the barriers that ordinary families face: years of waiting, legal complexity, and thousands of dollars in legal and application fees.
Yessenia Ruano did not leave the United States in shame—she left in strength. By telling her story, she has educated the public, moved hearts, and helped shape the movement toward a more just and humane immigration system. Her journey is not over. And neither is our fight to ensure others like her do not face the same fate.
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