Former Aide to AOC Self-Deports As Questions Arise About Immigration Status
A former aide to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., who was an illegal immigrant, has reportedly chosen to leave the United States for Colombia, highlighting the "freedom of movement" he now enjoys after having worked in Congress despite his undocumented status.
Diego de la Vega, originally from Ecuador, arrived in the U.S. in 2001 at the age of seven on a visitor’s visa, which he later overstayed, as reported by Migrant Insider. He later became a beneficiary of then-President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, an initiative providing temporary relief from deportation that the Supreme Court upheld during former President Donald Trump's administration.
This situation has sparked questions about his employment with the congresswoman from Queens, according to Fox News.
“It’s bittersweet. I hadn’t left the country in 23 years—from age seven to age 30,” de la Vega shared with Migrant Insider. “Now, I can’t go back to the U.S. It feels like exile. It’s a very permanent move. But my wife and I are confident we made the right decision. And, after some time, it’s been a real pleasure to be here.
“It feels surreal to not be illegalized anymore. I don’t have to live in the shadows or constantly worry about paperwork,” he continued. “That freedom of movement is incredibly satisfying.”
De la Vega became involved in politics after the Dream Act fell short in the Senate by five votes in 2010. Following his work with an immigrant advocacy group, he took on the role of communications director for Robert Rodriguez, a former New York State Assembly member who currently heads the New York State Dormitory Authority, according to his LinkedIn profile.
By 2021, de la Vega had joined Ocasio-Cortez’s re-election team and was later promoted to deputy communications director, according to Fox News.
“Diego is amazing,” Ocasio-Cortez stated. “We love him.”
Despite lacking U.S. citizenship, de la Vega worked in Ocasio-Cortez’s office, though DACA recipients are legally prohibited from holding paid positions in congressional offices.
“We were always honest with voters in New York City,” de la Vega said about his work with Ocasio-Cortez. “We didn’t dumb it down or tell them what they wanted to hear. We engaged with them honestly. We listened, then explained that Alexandria was fighting for reform, but Republicans were blocking it.”
He also voiced frustration over the current state of immigration policy.
“Protections are going away, regardless of who is in the White House. The strategy hasn’t adapted to the modern era,” he remarked. “Biden had a trifecta—the House, Senate, and White House—but dropped the ball.”
Reflecting on his past, de la Vega said he experienced fear as a child but still had a positive upbringing in New York. While he believes he may not return to the U.S. “for many years,” he admitted that “it feels fulfilling to be home.”
Recently, Ocasio-Cortez faced criticism for hosting a webinar that some claim instructed illegal immigrants on how to avoid detection by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.
The event drew attention from former President Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, who reported the matter to the Justice Department, seeking clarification on whether the congresswoman’s actions could be deemed criminal.
Following this, Ocasio-Cortez addressed a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, questioning whether she was under investigation.
“I’m writing to ask if the Department of Justice (DOJ) has given in to political pressure and tried to use the DOJ against elected officials whose speech they don’t agree with,” she wrote. “In the past two weeks, ‘Border Czar’ Tom Homan has threatened to prosecute me politically on several occasions, citing materials I sent out telling my constituents and the American public about their legal and constitutional rights.”
She further stated, “It’s been 14 days since Mr. Homan first said he would use your agency as a weapon, but I still haven’t heard anything from the federal government.”