She receives an order to leave the United States despite being a citizen.

Immigration pressure in the United States is reaching new levels, even affecting those who defend immigrant rights.

A Los Angeles, California-born lawyer received an email from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) giving her seven days to leave the country, despite being a U.S. citizen. The case has raised alarm among experts and legal associations.

A threatening and incomprehensible email

Harriet Steele, an immigration law specialist, was perplexed when she read that her “permission to remain” had expired. At first, she thought it was a client-related error, but quickly dismissed that possibility. None of her active cases warrant such a notification.

The email warned that if she didn't comply within the given timeframe, she would face deportation. The situation raised concerns in the legal community, given that Steele is a citizen by birth and has never had any other immigration status.

System error or intimidation tactic?

A DHS official attributed the incident to possible data management errors, mentioning that some attorney addresses may have been accidentally linked to immigration records. However, organizations like the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) fear it may not be a simple glitch.

Immigration law expert Víctor Nieblas warned that in the current context, where pressure against immigrants has intensified, these errors cannot be viewed as mere coincidences. "They are intimidating immigration lawyers, and we cannot rule out that this is a tactic to deter us," he stated.

Context of growing hostility against immigrant advocates

Harriet Steele's case is not an isolated one. Last week, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested by the FBI on charges of obstructing an ICE operation. She reportedly helped an undocumented immigrant evade capture.

Dugan's arrest and cases like Steele's show a hardening of thecupin the Trump Administration's immigration policy, not only against migrants, but also against those who represent or protect them.

Harriet Steele vows to continue defending immigrants

Far from being intimidated, the lawyer has made it clear that she has no intention of abandoning her country or her vocation. "I will continue doing my work," she declared, amid a wave of support from colleagues and human rights organizations.

The episode reflects an increasingly tense atmosphere for those defending immigrants in the United States, in a context where official pressure seems to extend beyond the courts and airports.