LYNN — Mariola Perez, a woman from Lynn who fled from Guatemala 16 years ago and has been seeking asylum, was not detained at her regular check-in with ICE in Burlington on Monday.

After being told to expect deportation at her next check-in on Monday, Perez, according to CBS News, was able to leave. Her immigration attorney Alec Peters Larson told the media that “DHS (Department of Homeland Security) made a decision not to detain” her and have “issued her a new date for a new check-in,” which, per the outlet, has been scheduled in November.

Peters Larson also stated that Perez has been granted “reasonable fear interview,” which is a screening process conducted by a United States Citizenship and Immigration Services asylum officer to decide whether a non-citizen has reasonable fear of being prosecuted or tortured if they return to their country of origin. In Guatemala, Perez was subjected to years of violence, abuse, and genocide because her family is indigenous Mayan.

In 2013, Perez was arrested allegedly for a traffic violation, which then ultimately lead to ICE being alerted.

“To this day, she has not been provided an opportunity to tell her story, and to pursue the relief we believe she’s eligible for,” Peters Larson said.

A group of educators, community leaders, and those who know Perez and have worked with her, as well as city officials, gathered on May 6 for a press conference. There, Mayor Jared Nicholson praised Perez for being a “productive member” of Lynn. He also said that “deporting her only separates her from her son, who is a U.S. citizen, and deprives students and families of the work she does for this community.”

More than 4,300 people have also signed a petition in supporting Perez’s request to remain in the United States as she cares for her 15-year-old son, who is a U.S. citizen and has medical needs. Perez, who is currently enrolled at Salem State University and working toward earning her Bachelor’s degree, shared her experience and the toll that living in fear has had on her.

“The fear is real,” Perez said on May 6. “The fear of possibly not seeing my son graduate from high school or not being able to keep driving him to his soccer games and watch him become a professional soccer player.”

She added, “This brings back a lot of memories growing up as an Indigenous girl in the highlands of Guatemala. The constant fear of not being able to talk about the violence, abuse, and persecution Indigenous children and parents face daily.”