Deportation of Blue Line hockey bar manager raises outcry

The Mexican-born manager of The Blue Line hockey bar in Kansas City's River Market has been deported by U.S. Immigration enforcement, taking away a woman described as "the face of River Market."

Leticia Stegall was dropped off in Mexico Friday while her husband, Steve, and supporters are left scrambling in a legal process they thought was underway to allow her to stay.

"They didn't let us finish the process," Steve Stegall told The Star Sunday night. "They're tearing up families."

Leticia Stegall was arrested by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement agents Monday morning, stopping her in her car as she drove from the house to go to the gym, her husband said. She was taken to the Platte County jail where she was held before being flown to Mexico, even though Stegall had obtained a federal court order that she be held in the Kansas City area pending a hearing.

The Writ of Habeus Corpus was issued by U.S. District Judge Fernando J. Gaitan Jr. Friday, but Stegall's deportation was completed.

She was arrested as part of a four-day enforcement operation in the Kansas City metro area that ICE said targeted people in the country illegally who had prior criminal histories, including driving under the influence, child neglect, child abuse, drug offenses, fraud and larceny.

Leticia Stegall was arrested six years ago for driving while intoxicated, which started a lengthy legal process with ICE and the local and federal courts to allow her to remain in the country, Steve Stegall said.

Leticia Stegall admittedly entered the country illegally 20 years ago, he said. She and Steve Stegall married six years ago.

ICE began the process to remove Stegall after the DWI. A lengthy legal process began, and Leticia Stegall had a mediation hearing scheduled later this month, Steve Stegall said.

The Stegalls had the option for Leticia Stegall to leave the country voluntarily and return in two years under provisions allowed when an undocumented person marries a U.S. citizen. But the Stegalls thought they would be allowed the opportunity to carry through the legal process already underway and try to keep Leticia in the country.

She has a critical role in managing the bar and its 28 employees, Steve Stegall said, and she has a 16-year-old U.S.-born daughter. They wanted the chance in court to keep her here without the two-year hiatus.

"We need her here," he said. "She is the face of the River Market. We (The Blue Line) are the face of the River Market."

Supporters of The Blue Line and Leticia Stegall are planning a rally at the bar, 529 Walnut St., at 5 p.m. Monday.

This story was originally published March 4, 2018 at 8:56 PM with the headline "Deportation of Blue Line hockey bar manager raises outcry."