A North Texas pastor says his family is being forced to self-deport after changes to U.S. immigration rules under the Biden administration left him without a path to permanent residency.

Albert Oliveira, a native of Brazil and pastor at First Baptist Church in Gordon, says his R-1 religious visa expires Nov. 15. With no current way to adjust his status, he and his family plan to leave the country voluntarily on Nov. 9.

“For lack of better terms, it’s unfair, it’s just unfair,” Oliveira said.

Oliveira arrived in the U.S. on an R-1 visa in 2020, allowing him to work as a religious minister. Since then, he’s been applying for an EB-4 visa, which provides a path to a green card for certain special immigrants, including religious workers.

However, in March 2023, the Biden administration exp

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