Lawsuit against federal government will challenge Houston man’s deportation

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Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Celia Rodriguez embraces her husband, Juan, congratulating him on Father’s Day. The family is hoping that lawyers will be able to help them stay together.

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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A sign congratulating Juan Rodriguez on Father’s Day created by his daughters rests on top of gift bags as he silently reads a letter written by his daughter Rebecca Rodriguez, Sunday, June 18, 2017, in Houston. less

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Juan Rodriguez, holds a sign made by his daughters in Spanish on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 18, 2017, in Houston. In English, the sign says “Happy Father’s Day to the best father in the world, Francisco.” Francisco is the middle name of Juan. Left to right is Celia Rodriguez, and their daughters, Rebecca Rodriguez, 15, Karen Rodriguez, 18, and ten-year-old, Kimberly Rodriguez. less

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Kimberly Rodriguez, center, 10, surprises her father Juan Rodriguez with a Father’s Day sign written in Spanish which reads, “Happy Father’s Day to the best father in the world, Francisco.” Francisco is the middle name of Juan. Sunday, June 18, 2017, in Houston. less

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Kimberly Rodriguez, 10, the youngest daughter of Juan Rodriguez, who is facing deportation to El Salvador, created a handwritten card for her father on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 18, 2017, in Houston.

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Juan Rodriguez and his wife Celia Rodriguez joke with theirs daughters Karen Rodriguez, left, 18, Kimberly Rodriguez, 10, and Rebecca Rodriguez, right, 15, on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 18, 2017, in Houston.

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Juan Rodriguez and his wife Celia Rodriguez joke with theirs daughters Karen Rodriguez, left, 18, Rebecca Rodriguez, right, 15, and Kimberly Rodriguez during Father’s Day, Sunday, June 18, 2017, in Houston.

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Kimberly Rodriguez, center, 10, reacts as her father Juan Rodriguez, right, opens the gifts Kimberly and her sisters bought for their him as part of Father’s Day morning, Sunday, June 18, 2017, in Houston. The sisters tried their best to make this holiday as special as possible for him just in case he gets deported to El Salvador at the end of June. less

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Juan Rodriguez unfolds a red polo he received from his daughters early morning on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 18, 2017, in Houston.

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Celia Rodriguez embraces her husband Juan Rodriguez while their daughters Kimberly Rodriguez, center, 10, Rebecca Rodriguez, 15, and Karen Rodriguez, 18, look at the gifts they got for Juan for Father’s Day, Sunday, June 18, 2017, in Houston. less

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Celia Rodriguez embraces her husband Juan Rodriguez congratulating him on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 18, 2017, in Houston.

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Karen Rodriguez, 18, shows her father Juan Rodriguez the award medal she received during the Cristo Rey Jesuit commencement ceremony. Juan was told by immigration officials that he will be deported June 29 ( Marie D. De Jesus / Houston Chronicle ) less

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Staff

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Karen Rodriguez, 18, turns and asks their sisters if the footwear would be a gift their father Juan Rodriguez would like for Father’s Day. Friday, June 16, 2017, in Houston.

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Rebecca Rodriguez, 15, Karen Rodriguez, 18, and Kimberly Rodriguez, 10, prepare the Father’s Day gifts, Friday, June 16, 2017. The sisters are planning to wake up their father Juan Rodriguez early on Father’s Day to give him the different gifts they have collected the las several days. less

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Juan Rodriguez, stores car oil after a day of working from him home in Houston, Friday, June 16, 2017.

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Juan Rodriguez, dries himself after working around his home and fixing cars, Friday, June 16, 2017, in Houston.

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Juan Rodriguez remembers a time when one of his daughters, Rebecca Rodriguez, was still a child grabbing a tool trying to help him fix a car with him. Friday, June 16, 2017, in Houston.

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Karen Rodriguez, 18, embraces her father Juan Rodriguez, as she arrives home from work, Friday, June 16, 2017, in Houston.

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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(left to right) Rebecca Rodriguez, 15, Kimberly Rodriguez, center, 10, Norbert Donias, 28, and Karen Rodriguez, 18, exit a store with Father’s Day gifts for the sister’s father, Juan Rodriguez, Friday, June 16, 2017, in Houston. less

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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David Calvillo attorney at law and senior counsel at the Chamberlain Hrdlicka law firm reach a verse from the Bible to Juan Rodriguez and his wife Celia Rodriguez at their home in Houston, Thursday, June 8, 2017. less

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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David Calvillo attorney at law and senior counsel at the Chamberlain Hrdlicka law firm shares a meal with Juan Rodriguez and his daughters, Rebecca Rodriguez, 15, Karen Rodriguez, 18, and Kimberly Rodriguez, 10, at their home in Houston, Thursday, June 8, 2017. less

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Juan Rodriguez, center, shakes hands with David Calvillo attorney at law and senior counsel at the Chamberlain Hrdlicka law firm, Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Houston.

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Juan F. Vasquez, Jr., David Calvillo, and former Texas Supreme Court Justice David Medina, left, council the Rodriguez family at their home, Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Houston. The attorneys were moved by the immigration struggle the family has been facing for the past sixteen years. Juan Rodriguez the father, has been told to turn himself in to be deported to El Salvador. less

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Juan F. Vasquez, Jr., David Calvillo, and former Texas Supreme Court Justice David Medina, right, pray with the Rodriguez family at their home, Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Houston. The attorneys were moved by the immigration struggle the family has been facing for the past sixteen years. Juan Rodriguez the father, has been told to turn himself in to be deported to El Salvador. less

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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David Calvillo, right, and former Texas Supreme Court Justice David Medina, left, pray with the Rodriguez family at their home, Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Houston. The attorneys were moved by the immigration struggle the family has been facing for the past sixteen years. Juan Rodriguez the father, has been told to turn himself in to be deported to El Salvador. less

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Karen Rodriguez, 18, asks her father Juan Rodriguez to help her with her shoe as she prepares for work, Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Houston. Karen Rodriguez graduated from high school this summer and soon after she started a summer paid internship at Southern Company Gas. less

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Celia Rodriguez and her husband Juan Rodriguez start the day with a prayer. In February during a regular check-in Juan Rodriguez was told he would be deported on June 29. Sixteen years ago, Juan left gang-infested El Salvador and crossed the U.S. border illegally to reunite with Celia who was already a U.S. citizen. Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Houston. less

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Juan Rodriguez and his family – wife Celia and daughters Karen, Kimberly and Rebecca – have built a life in Houston. That could change at month’s end because Juan has been ordered to turn himself in to be deported to El Salvador. ( Marie D. De Jesus / Houston Chronicle ) less

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Staff

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Juan Rodriguez holds back tears at his daughter’s high school graduation ceremony Saturday.

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Staff

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Karen Rodriguez, center, 18, leads her family in prayer after receiving her high school diploma.

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Staff

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Karen Rodriguez, 18, shows her father, Juan, the award medal she received during the Cristo Rey Jesuit commencement ceremony. Juan was told by immigration officials that he will be deported June 29.

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Staff

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Juan Rodriguez pleaded with ICE officials not to send him back to El Salvador until after his eldest daughter graduated high school.

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Staff

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Juan Rodriguez describes living in the United States without documents as a “calvary.” Rodriguez has been given a date by the immigration law enforcement to present himself to be detained and eventually deported to El Salvador at the end of the month of June. Thursday, June 1, 2017, in Houston. ( Marie D. De Jesus / Houston Chronicle ) less

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Staff

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Karen Rodriguez, 18, shows her father Juan Rodriguez the award medal she received during the Cristo Rey Jesuit commencement ceremony, Saturday, June 3, 2017, in Houston.

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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