Woman's travel visa expired

BROWNSVILLE - It's a situation Dennis Bogette says could happen to anyone. Improper paperwork could keep him from his new wife Joan.

Joan is an English Citizen. She flew into the country in February 2006 on an invitation from Dennis. A couple of months later, they got married. Three days before she was set to return to England.

Since then, her travel visa expired.

Jump to May 5 of this year, the couple is preparing to return to Minnesota after a trip to the Valley for business and to celebrate their first anniversary.

"Border Patrol asked us questions, asking if I was a U.S. Citizen, I said yes. When my wife was asked, she said no," Bogette says.

The Bogettes were detained and questioned by Border Patrol. The agents then took Joan away.

She was taken to the Bayview Detention Center, where she is still being held.

NEWSCHANNEL 5 spoke with Immigration Customs Enforcement, who tell us she's on her way back to England.

"She violated the Immigration Nationality Act. She will be removed from the U.S. and barred for 10 years from re-entering," says ICE spokeswoman Nina Pruneda.

Dennis Bogette acknowledges his wife broke the law. Now they're just asking for someone to hear their case so they can stay together.

He's filed a lawsuit against the government and hopes to have the case before the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court Of Appeals.

NEWSCHANNEL 5 will continue to follow this story.

http://www.newschannel5.tv/2007/6/19/97 ... -Problems-