After nearly a year of separation, Miguel Lopez, a Livermore father of three, is waiting to hear if a federal judge will finally give him a legal path back to the United States. On Tuesday, supporters gathered outside a San Francisco federal courthouse as Judge Trina Thompson heard arguments in what could be Lopez’s last chance to overturn his deportation and reunite with his family.

Lopez was detained during a routine immigration check-in at a San Francisco ICE facility in May 2025 and deported to Mexico just days later, despite a judge ordering he be allowed to stay in the U.S. while fighting his case. He hadn’t been back to Mexico in 29 years, and now he’s living at his father’s house outside Mexico City, separated from his wife Rosa and their three children.

“He’s probably biting his nails off trying to figure out what happened”, Rosa told supporters gathered at the rally. She last saw her husband in February. “He’s having a really hard time out there”.

The legal battle centers on whether Lopez’s permanent resident status was wrongfully stripped away. He was granted the right to stay in the U.S. in 2012, but a deportation order was issued in 2014 after he disclosed that he had crossed the border without proper authorization years earlier. His attorney, Saad Ahmad, argued in court that Lopez never had the opportunity to fight the revocation of his residency before the Board of Immigration Appeals, and the government never provided a valid reason for taking it away.

“It would be a miscarriage of justice for the courts to allow Miguel’s deportation without first demanding the government explain why his legal residency was revoked”, Ahmad told the court. He emphasized that few deported individuals get the opportunity Lopez has to argue their case.

At the rally, Lopez’s youngest son Julian, a Granada High School senior, had his letter read aloud by his mother. “I feel the empty space where he should be”, the letter stated. “My dad is a good man, and I just want him home to see me graduate”.

Lopez’s daughter Stephanie expressed cautious optimism about their chances. “Ever since we’ve encountered this judge, I’ve had a pretty good feeling”, she said. “I have hope. I understand it’s a process and we have to be patient”.

If Judge Thompson sends Lopez’s case back to the Board of Immigration Appeals, she could potentially grant him legal grounds to return while he continues fighting. The government’s attorney argued that if Thompson did this, the Department of Homeland Security would likely order deportation anyway. However, Ahmad believes the facts of this case are unique enough to warrant a chance.

A ruling is expected within the month, but for now, the Lopez family waits.