Diego de la Vega, a former aide to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, has reportedly self-deported to Colombia after questions arose about his immigration status. Born in Ecuador, de la Vega came to the U.S. as a child on a visitor’s visa in 2001 and overstayed it. He later became a recipient of the DACA program. However, despite his DACA status, de la Vega’s employment as Ocasio-Cortez’s deputy communications director raised concerns, as DACA recipients are prohibited from holding paid positions in congressional offices.

In a statement to Migrant Insider, de la Vega described his departure as bittersweet, noting that after 23 years in the U.S., he could no longer return. He expressed relief at no longer living “in the shadows” and praised the “freedom of movement” in Colombia.

Ocasio-Cortez expressed admiration for de la Vega, calling him “amazing.” However, his self-deportation comes amid ongoing debates about immigration reform and the failure to pass the Dream Act. Recently, Ocasio-Cortez also faced criticism for holding a webinar offering advice to illegal immigrants on avoiding deportation, drawing the attention of Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan.