'It's A Miracle': Doctor Fighting Deportation Gets Break From ICE

ROCHESTER, Minn. (WCCO) -- A Rochester doctor credited with saving lives is now fighting to keep from being deported.

Guan Lee came to the U.S. 25 years ago from Malaysia.

Her sister had breast cancer, and that inspired her to become a doctor.

After graduating medical school, Lee's attorney says she was given the wrong form to become a permanent resident, and her application was denied.

She was granted a number of stays, but thought that she had run out of appeals and exhausted her options.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE, had told Dr. Lee that they had her travel documents to Malaysia ready to go when she arrived at their office on Monday afternoon.

"I'm just really grateful to this country for giving me a lot of opportunity," said Dr. Lee.

Before she met with an immigration officer, Dr. Lee thought it might be the last time she would ever see some of her patients and friends. Many were waiting for her with signs of support outside the ICE office at Fort Snelling.

"Jan and I both feel if it wasn't for Dr. Lee we wouldn't have my wife," said Don Zimmerman.

Zimmerman, along with his wife Jan, believe Dr. Lee's integrated medicine practice saved Jan's life when she had a life-threatening illness. They've also been a host family to Dr. Lee.

"It's tough. It's tough. We never thought this would ever happen," said Zimmerman.

Neither did Dr. Lee or her attorney. After being granted a number of stays over the years, Dr. Lee thought she had run out of options. But after a 20 minute meeting with ICE, she wasn't taken into custody and instead received good news. She and her attorney were given more time to try and resolve the paperwork mistake.

"I take this as a very positive sign that we are going to be afforded an opportunity to continue to do some of the things that we haven't been able to accomplish yet," said attorney Malee Ketelsen-Renner.

"It's a miracle. I don't know what to say. I'm out today. It's a miracle. I'm here. But I'm not sure what's going on," said Dr. Lee.

And what she means by that is typically during these check-ins with ICE, she has received a follow-up date.

But Dr. Lee and her attorney did not receive one this time, they just know they have 30 days to try and fix what they can.

Dr. Lee's attorney told us that new rules implemented by the president have made cases like Dr. Lee's more common.