Latest news with #I-130
Newsweek
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Man Who Came to US as Toddler and Is Married to US Citizen Detained by ICE
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Martin Diaz, who came to the United States as a toddler and is married to a U.S. citizen was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Spokane, Washington, earlier this week, days after the couple received a notice requesting his visa application following approval of their I-130 petition, according to his wife's social media post. Newsweek has reached out to his wife, Kendall Diaz, via Facebook on Saturday. Newsweek has also reached out to ICE and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for comment via email on Saturday. Why It Matters Diaz's detention comes amid an immigration crackdown under the Trump administration, during which people with all kinds of immigration statuses, including those with valid documentation, such as green cards or visas, have been detained and face legal jeopardy. Many have been detained at their visa appointments after receiving official notices to appear. President Donald Trump vowed to prevent undocumented immigrants with criminal histories or backgrounds from entering and staying in the U.S. He has pledged to launch the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history and has detained and deported thousands of people since retaking office. Inset: Martin Diaz from a GoFundMe page raising money for his legal fees, is seen. A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Baltimore Field Officer is seen on January 27 in Silver Spring, Maryland. Inset: Martin Diaz from a GoFundMe page raising money for his legal fees, is seen. A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Baltimore Field Officer is seen on January 27 in Silver Spring, Maryland. AP Photo/Alex Brandon, GoFundMe What To Know On Tuesday, April 29, Diaz was en route to work when he noticed he was being followed. He returned home, and after exiting his vehicle, was chased, tackled and arrested by immigration officers, local news outlet KUOW reported. His wife shared videos of the encounter outside their residence on Facebook showing three men following Diaz as he runs back to his property, tackling him, and taking him away. "You're under arrest," one of the men can be heard saying as they straddle him on the ground. In the footage, which appears to be taken from the property camera and possibly his roommate's phone, Diaz's roommate can be seen and heard confronting the agents, reminding them they were on private property. Kendall confirmed to KUOW that she was not home at the time of her husband's arrest, but Diaz's roommate was. She watched the videos, one from her residence's Ring camera, when she returned home. In a second video, one officer tells the roommate, "Do not interfere with us right now," and later adds, "He's under arrest," adding he has an "Order of deportation, he's going." The roommate, who is audibly upset, uses explicit language throughout the exchange. He repeatedly asks for information about Diaz and the agents, including, "What's your badge number?" and their names. One officer responds that it's "none of your business" and that the matter "doesn't concern" him. The couple have been married for over six years and have been working to get Diaz permanent legal status. Diaz, a Mexican native, has been living in the country since he was just over 1-and-a-half years old. "Last year we filed our I-130 through our marriage and it was accepted. We received a letter in the mail last week requesting his application for his visa," Kendall said in her Facebook post. I-130 forms are filed by U.S. citizens on behalf of their spouse or relative to get a green card. Diaz pleaded guilty to criminal mischief in 2017 following an altercation with his former father-in-law, local media outlet KXLY reported. He previously had an assault charge from 2008. "There are rapists and murderers on the street who are free and they're U.S. citizens, and they have more rights than my husband who doesn't harm anyone," Kendall told KXLY. What People Are Saying Kendall Diaz said in her Tuesday Facebook post: "Our families are grieving. We are scared. And I am furious for the animalistic treatment that is being condoned in this country right now, and especially to my husband." President Donald Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on April 17: "Under Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem's leadership, [Homeland Security Advisory Council] HSAC will work hard on developing new Policies and Strategies that will help us secure our Border, deport Illegal Criminal Thugs, stop the flow of Fentanyl and other illegal drugs that are killing our Citizens, and MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN." White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has repeatedly maintained the administration's stance, saying: "If you are an individual, a foreign national, who illegally enters the United States of America, you are, by definition, a criminal. And so, therefore, you are subject to deportation." Shandra Kearney, a friend of the couple who is organizing the GoFundMe for Diaz's legal fees wrote in the online fundraiser: "Our families are grieving. We are scared. We are asking for help in paying for the lawyer costs, to put money on his books, and hopefully not but realistically paying for his daily living in Mexico. We need our community's help right now." What Happens Next? As of Saturday morning, Diaz is still booked at Kootenai County Jail according to their records. He was booked there at 9:19 p.m. after being arrested at 8:45 a.m. on April 29. His wife says she believes he will be bused to Tacoma, Washington, where the Northwest ICE Processing Center is located. Newsweek has reached out to the Kootenai County Jail for comment via email on Saturday. Newsweek was unable to confirm Diaz in the ICE database. Friends of the family created a GoFundMe to raise money for his legal fees. Kendall Diaz told local news outlets they have retained a lawyer.
Newsweek
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Man Detained at Green Card Appointment After Over 25 Years in US
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Sergio Cerdio Gomez, a Washington state food truck owner from Mexico who has lived in the U.S. for more than 25 years, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in late April after appearing for an immigration appointment alongside his wife, a U.S. citizen. "ICE said he was detained on a warrant which we believe is from him entering the country illegally," his wife, Gabby Cerdio, told Newsweek in an email Thursday. Newsweek has reached out to ICE and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for comment via email on Thursday. Why It Matters Gomez's detention comes amid an immigration crackdown under the Trump administration, during which people with all kinds of immigration statuses, including those with valid documentation, such as green cards or visas, have been detained and face legal jeopardy. President Donald Trump vowed to prevent undocumented immigrants with criminal histories or backgrounds from entering and staying in the U.S. He has pledged to launch the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history and has detained and deported thousands of people since retaking office. What To Know Gomez, a 42-year-old Mexico native, operates a food truck, Hibachi Explosion, with his wife, in Washington state. The couple met in 2014 and were married in 2022, sharing two children together, 5 and 10 months, and a 17-year-old from a previous marriage. He first entered the United States in 1998 at age 14 and, according to The Seattle Times, has crossed the border multiple times in the years that followed. In 2023, his wife filed an I-130 petition on his behalf to begin the process of obtaining a green card. The couple were notified of an immigration interview scheduled for 1 p.m. on April 24. They arrived with their paperwork, but an officer asked Cerdio to wait while they spoke with her husband. Shortly after, she was informed that he had been taken into custody on an arrest warrant, something she said came as a surprise. Cerdio said her husband has no criminal record, and Newsweek has not found any public records indicating otherwise. The family food business, which started two-years ago in April 2023, remains in operation, with updates to their hours on their Facebook page. On April 29, Cerdio wrote that the truck is still open, but "I will be MIA from the truck today as we are heading to Tacoma to see Sergio!" "Currently no updates. It's a waiting game to get his court hearing date," Cerdio told Newsweek in an email, adding that she is able to communicate with her husband virtually while he is in detention. The Department of Homeland Security seal is seen on the podium at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement headquarters, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Washington. The Department of Homeland Security seal is seen on the podium at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement headquarters, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Washington. AP Photo/Alex Brandon Other immigrants have also been detained after appearing at Department of Homeland Security (DHS) offices, including Mohsen Mahdawi, a U.S. permanent resident for 10 years who was detained by ICE agents in Colchester, Vermont during a naturalization interview, Cliona Ward, has been held at San Francisco International Airport after delivering requested paperwork, and Rosmery Alvarado after appearing at a USCIS field office, among others. What People Are Saying Gabby Cerdio said in a statement to The Seattle Times: "He does everything right. My husband is not a criminal. He's a good man. He's a family man." Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin previously told Newsweek about another immigration case: "The Trump Administration is giving parents in this country illegally the opportunity to self deport and take control of their departure process with the potential ability to return the legal, right way and come back to live the American dream. CBP Home is free and for all mobile devices." What Happens Next Cerdio told Newsweek that Gomez is being held in the Tacoma Northwest Detention Center. Newsweek could not confirm his status in the ICE online detention database on Thursday morning. The family has retained a lawyer. In an April 28 Facebook post Hibachi Explosion wrote, "we are going to push for a court hearing hoping to get one within the next 3 weeks!" Gabby Cerdio is collecting donations via Venmo for legal fees.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Yahoo
ICE arrests Tri-Cities food truck owner at appointment 3 years into immigration process
A Kennewick food truck owner is feeling 'lost' after her husband was detained during a routine interview about a pending immigration application this week in Yakima. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, officers took Sergio Cedrio Gomez, 42, of Pasco, into custody when he and his wife reported for the interview, which stemmed from her request that he be allowed to remain in the United States while pursuing a green card and citizenship. Gabrielle 'Gabby' Cerdio posted about the ordeal on the Facebook page for Hibachi Explosion, the Kennewick food truck she operates with her husband. The post drew hundreds of comments and shares, most expressing support for her and her three children. Cerdio said her husband was taken to the Tacoma Northwest Detention Center, an immigration prison run by ICE. He was able to call her shortly after he was detained and again the following morning. He had not appeared before a judge. 'He says he's OK. He's going to be a macho man and say, 'It's OK,'' said told the Tri-City Herald. The Herald could not immediately confirm his status on Friday. His name was not in ICE's online database of detainees on Friday, though it can take up to 48 hours for the system to update.. Cerdio said her husband encouraged her to tell his story and how they were trying to do the right thing by showing up for the interview. She called her husband a law-abiding father of three who is doing his best to run the food truck they launched in 2023. She said he first entered the U.S. illegally in 1998 at the age of 14, when an adult relative brought him from his native Mexico. He has crossed the border several times since then, she said. His record is otherwise clean, she said. 'He does everything right. My husband is not a criminal. He's a good man. He's a family man,' said Cerdio who is a U.S. citizen. The two met in 2014 while working at a Richland restaurant and became a couple a year later. They married in 2022 and have two children, ages 5 and 10 months, as well as his 17-year-old daughter from a prior marriage. They began working on his immigration status in 2022, the year they married. In 2023, they filed an I-130 petition with the government, which allows legal U.S. residents and citizens to petition for their loved ones to remain in the country while pursuing green cards and eventually, citizenship. Filing the application, they believed, would shield him from possible deportation. There was little progress in their case until this March, when they were notified a decision would occur within two months. That was followed by a notice of an appointment for an interview with immigration officials in Yakima, set for April 24. Interviews are unusual, but the couple thought they might need to update the paperwork to reflect the addition of their baby girl. Their immigration attorney wasn't available to accompany them. He advised that ICE was taking interviewees into custody. They went anyway, figuring that rescheduling it would just extend the process. They carried photos and other legal documents, including their marriage license, a divorce decree from his first marriage, and birth certificates and other proof of their life together. In Yakima, they passed through security and checked in. Officials called Sergio and told Gabby to wait. Half an hour later, an officer informed her that he'd been taken into custody on a warrant. Cerdio said she never knew of any outstanding warrant and never saw one during the Yakima visit. There was no record of a warrant during the application process. Cerdio said going to the interview as requested was the 'right thing to do.' 'I guess it kind of backfired,' she said. As of Friday afternoon, Cerdio's Facebook post was shared more than 400 times and drew nearly 700 likes and 173 comments. She said people can support the family by patronizing Hibachi Explosion, which is open 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Monday to Saturday, at 7425 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick.. 'Support the business. The business supports me and my kids,' she said. Go to
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘He has rights': Local couple pleads for compassion as husband faces deportation to India
A Middleburg family is begging for help after they claim ICE officials are threatening the husband, who is an Indian national, with immediate deportation and criminal charges. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] 'I cannot leave my kids and my wife here. I can't,' said Tapan Purohit. Purohit and his wife Ashley Kennedy-Purohit told Action News Jax they feel they're living a nightmare. Tapan came to America on a J-1 visa in 2011. It expired in 2013. Last year, he married Ashley and they filed an I-130 marriage petition in hopes of regaining his legal status. 'I prayed so hard that God would send me a good, kind, loving man that would finally be that piece that was missing in our lives and he did,' said Ashley. Things took a turn last December when Tapan was arrested and charged with resisting an officer without violence. The charge was ultimately dropped, but over the next few months, he was ordered by ICE to purchase a ticket for removal, which he did. According to the family's attorney, they filed a series of emergency motions hoping to delay his removal to give time for the marriage petition to be processed. His motion to stay his deportation was denied on March 11th, but two of the other motions are still pending according to the family's attorney. 'At that point, our attorneys had told us to go ahead and cancel the plane tickets. That we had motions filed so we should have time to continue to petition and pursue,' said Ashley. But the family told Action News Jax ICE officials arrived at their home Thursday morning demanding Tapan come outside to be taken into ICE custody for deportation. He did not. The family claims ICE officials told them they'd return with a warrant and charge Tapan with failure to comply with supervised release. 'And at that point, they can kick our door down and come in in front of my children and take my husband in front of them,' said Ashley. 'My husband may not be a legal American citizen, but is a human being and he has rights.' Ashley argued her husband still has a right for the motions to be heard. Tapan and Ashley run a local business and argued they're good hardworking Americans, not criminals. But they claim throughout this process they've been treated as less-than-human by ICE officials. 'I said like my wife is pregnant, sir. He said like, oh, that's not your kid, that's her kid,' said Tapan. 'We are husband and wife. It's not like her kids or my kids. It's our kids.' Ashley said she feels like the sudden rush to deport her husband is being driven by a numbers game intended to fulfill a political agenda, rather than a desire for public safety. 'It's just another check on the box. We deported 1,001 people today and Tapan gets to be that 1,001,' said Ashley. 'A computer cannot analyze us and tell us who we are and what we deserve and don't deserve. We need real human beings. That's what due process is.' The family's attorney gave Action News Jax an update late Thursday afternoon indicating Tapan has been given until Saturday to leave the country voluntarily. She said the family plans to purchase a plane ticket back to India, and is hopeful the two outstanding emergency motions currently sitting on an immigration judge's desk will be granted before then, to buy Tapan more time for his marriage petition to be processed. Action News Jax has reached out to ICE for comment on this situation and are waiting on a response. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
