Fredericksburg, Texas

Brian José Morales García, 25, has returned to the United States after federal officials agreed to allow his reentry while his citizenship case proceeds in court. Morales was deported to Mexico in April following a traffic stop near Fredericksburg, Texas, despite insisting he was born in Denver, Colorado, and holding a U.S. birth certificate. The Department of Homeland Security had disputed his citizenship claim, alleging he entered the country illegally.

According to his attorneys, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agreed to admit Morales after his legal team submitted additional evidence, including hospital records, sworn witness statements and a certified Colorado birth record. He crossed back into the U.S. on August 30 at a designated port of entry after presenting his birth certificate and photo ID. Morales, who also holds Mexican citizenship, has said discrepancies between his U.S. and Mexican documents stem from clerical errors. His lawsuit, Morales Garcia v. Mullin et al., remains pending in federal court in Texas, and a scheduled September 8 injunction hearing has been canceled following his return.