Mountain Democrat - Your Local News

The Pollock Pines man whose fight to avoid deportation = to Mexico=20 made headlines Wednesday was returned to his native country Wednesday = night but=20 supporters of the man acknowledged yesterday that he had not been living = here=20 legally.

'It was a misunderstanding for all of us involved,' = said=20 supporter Rich Meagher.

Meagher said the visa of local musician = and=20 popular El Dorado High School graduate Eduardo Noriega-Villegas = maintains an=20 expiration date on it of 2010, but that the visa is only a = temporary/visiting=20 visa, which does not allow him to establish or maintain residency. =

'It's=20 been a learning experience for all of us involved,' Meagher said. =

U.S.=20 Customs and Immigration Enforcement spokeswoman Virginia Hice said = yesterday=20 that immigrants with only temporary visas are barred from attending = school or=20 working in the United States. Hice would not comment specifically on=20 Noriega-Villegas' case, citing privacy law, but she said if that is the = kind of=20 documentation involved, Noriega-Villegas would be allowed only temporary = visits=20 to the country.

Noriega-Villegas has resided with his family in = Pollock=20 Pines for seven years; he graduated from El Dorado High School in 2002.=20

When spokeswoman Hice was reached for comment Wednesday she said = that=20 the deportation of immigrants making residence in the country legally = can take=20 place after they are convicted of felonies or serious misdemeanors.=20 Noriega-Villegas had been convicted Monday of misdemeanor driving = without a=20 license.

Meagher said Noriega-Villegas met Wednesday with = Sacramento=20 immigration attorney Erica Tomlinson, who advised him to voluntarily = return to=20 Mexico.

If Noriega-Villegas had requested a formal immigration = hearing=20 and lost, he would have been barred from re-applying for U.S. entry for = up to=20 five years.

'What we're hoping is that he'll be able to apply = for a=20 student visa to get back to his family,' Meagher said.

Upward of = 20=20 family members and other supporters attended the El Dorado County court=20 proceeding Monday, when Noriega-Villegas pleaded no contest to the = traffic=20 conviction. He had been arrested twice prior for the same non-alcohol = related=20 offense.

Supporters said this week that Noriega-Villegas is a = man of=20 great character, one who has regularly volunteered in the community. = They also=20 said his musical talent had recently caught the attention of a Hollywood = recording outfit, which had invited him to the 2008 Grammy Awards. =

His=20 family could not be reached for comment yesterday.

E-mail Eric = Laughlin=20 at elaughlin@mtdemocrat.net or = call 344-5064.

Man quickly deported; El Dorado High grad had only temporary visa =