Russellville graduate deported

RUSSELLVILLE – A 19-year-old Russellville High School graduate was deported from the United States on Aug. 9, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

An unnamed DHS spokesperson confirmed Juan Alberto Quim Tasej was arrested July 29 following a “287(g) transfer during a traffic stop.”

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported Tasej had an outstanding final order of removal more than three years old due to failure to appear for immigration hearings.

The DHS report did not identify the state or local law enforcement agency involved in the traffic stop, or say what prompted the stop. The agency also did not provide the date or court associated with the removal order, or information about the immigration hearings Tasej reportedly failed to attend.

The Franklin County Times requested additional information about the traffic stop, Tasej’s transfer to ICE custody, the earlier immigration proceedings, and whether any appeal, motion to reopen, stay request or other proceeding had been filed before his removal.

DHS did not provide the information as of press time.

RHS graduate Gracie Pounders said she became involved in local efforts to support Tasej after learning about his detention on social media. She said she did not know him personally but began contacting people who knew him and started a GoFundMe to raise money for an attorney.

Pounders said the fundraiser had raised about $9,000 by the time she learned Tasej had been deported.

She said the focus will now shift toward helping him resettle in Guatemala and, if possible, finding a path for him to return to the United States.

Pounders said she believes Tasej received a removal order while he was a minor after missing an immigration hearing in 2023. She said her understanding is that Tasej’s family had obtained legal representation but the representation ended after the family could not pay additional money. She said family members believed they had received an extension amid changes to court proceedings following the COVID19 pandemic and did not understand that Tasej was expected to appear at the hearing.

Pounders said she hopes Tasej’s case helps people understand the difficulty of navigating the legal immigration process.

“I just want to bring awareness of how difficult it is when people say, ‘Well, just get legal,’” Pounders said. “It’s not quite that simple.”

Former Russellville High School teacher Stephanie Mayfield said she worked with Tasej for about two years through the school’s English Language Learner program.

“What I remember most about him is he would carry a little notebook around with him, and any new words or new phrases, anything he didn’t know, he would write in that notebook and try to learn more English,” Mayfield said.

She described him as “sweet, kind, friendly and very hardworking.”

“He would strive to be better every day,” she said.

Mayfield said Tasej did well academically in the classes where she worked with him.

“I’m not saying he had straight A’s, but he worked very hard,” Mayfield said.

She said his grades were “very good” in the mainstream classes where she taught him. She also remembered Tasej developing an interest in welding.

Outside school, Mayfield said she frequently saw Tasej working at a local restaurant.

“He came out with a smile and wanted to give me a hug,” Mayfield said. “I was always so happy to see him.”

Mayfield said Tasej worked after completing a full day at school.

“He would get through school and then go straight to work,” Mayfield said. “This was not uncommon for Juan. He would go straight to work every day.”

She said Tasej tried to balance school and work so he could earn money to support himself and his family.

Mayfield also remembered Tasej having many friends at school.

“The kids loved being around him,” she said.

Mayfield said his smile particularly stayed with her.

“What you remember most about Juan was the smile on his face,” she said.

“He was a very happy person.”

Mayfield retired before Tasej graduated and said she could not speak to his later academic record.

Russellville High School teacher Edmund Martinez said he has known Tasej since fall 2022.

Martinez said that his comments are based solely on his personal experiences and recollections of Tasej, and do not represent Russellville High School or Russellville City Schools.

“What I remember most about Juan was his smile and his willingness to help others,” Martinez said. “Quite often, I saw him helping students who were struggling with English.”

Martinez said Tasej asked questions when he did not understand something and sometimes asked questions for other students who were too shy to speak up.

He said Tasej spoke a Mayan dialect in addition to Spanish and English and that he personally saw him use his language skills to help students who shared his linguistic background.

“In my experience, Juan excelled when he found something that he was passionate about and put his mind to accomplish it,” Martinez said.

Martinez said he remembers Tasej approaching him and Mayfield for advice about taking a welding class.

“Based on what I knew of Juan, I encouraged him to give it a try because I believed he had the determination to succeed,” Martinez said.

Martinez said he observed Tasej excel in the welding program, compete in welding competitions and receive recognition.

He said Tasej also encouraged other students to consider career-tech programs.

“In that sense, he became an unofficial cheerleader for career and technical education among the students I knew,” Martinez said.

Martinez said Tasej told him he wanted to find a good job, help his parents, and work toward his personal goals. Tasej also spoke with Martinez about the possibility of serving in the military. Martinez said his understanding was the interest developed in part through Tasej’s experiences with JROTC.

Martinez said he observed Tasej volunteering and helping with the heritage program and EL tutoring. “He truly seemed like someone who never met a stranger,” Martinez said.

Martinez said Tasej did not “simply coast through high school.”

“I watched him explore different interests, discover areas where he could excel, and challenge himself to become better,” Martinez said. “He consistently looked for ways to improve himself while also finding ways to help the people around him.”

Martinez said he believes Tasej could have become “a tremendous asset, role model, and contributor to the community he cared about.”

“Regardless of what the future holds, my personal hope is that Juan continues to have opportunities to pursue his goals and build the future he worked so hard toward,” Martinez said.

Tasej’s pastor, José Sanchez of Bethania Church, said he has known him since Tasej came to the United States from Guatemala about 10 years ago as a child and began attending the church.

Sanchez said Tasej participated with the church’s youth and helped with parking during services. He described Tasej as “a good young man, responsible and hardworking.”

Sanchez said he recently saw Tasej in Guatemala while on a previously planned trip there. He said he and Tasej are from the same town.

Sanchez said Tasej’s parents remain in the United States.