(Image source from: Firstpost.com)
A couple who had been living in the United States for 35 years faced deportation by immigration authorities, resulting in the disbanding of a family in California. Gladys Gonzales, aged 55, and Nelson Gonzalez, aged 59, were apprehended in February, as reported by CNN. The undocumented couple was taken into custody during a routine check-in with the US Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) on February 21. They spent three and a half weeks in detention before being returned to their country on March 18. Despite having no criminal records, Gladys and Nelson, who raised three daughters in Laguna Niguel, were deported, leaving their family members heartbroken. In communications with CNN, their daughter, Stephanie Gonzalez, shared that her parents attended an immigration court in Santa Ana last month, just as they had been doing regularly since 2000.
Their three adult children, who are all citizens of the US, stated on a GoFundMe page that their parents had "never broken the law or missed an appointment" throughout their time in the country. They noted, "For almost four decades, they have established their lives here, raised three daughters, contributed to their community, and recently welcomed their first grandchild." They expressed their disbelief at the sudden turn of events, saying, "This unexpected situation has left us in shock." The daughters described how their parents were "being treated like criminals, held in detention facilities, and facing deportation," which they stated had "devastated our family both emotionally and financially." They portrayed their parents as "compassionate and selfless individuals who have consistently prioritized others" and called for the public's generous support.
Monica Crooms, an immigration attorney in Orange County representing the couple since 2018, mentioned that they had anticipated needing to leave but did not expect the circumstances to unfold as they did. Both Crooms and the Gonzalezes' children emphasized that the couple had consistently paid their taxes, had no legal problems, and had actively sought ways to secure citizenship. Crooms noted that the couple’s deportation officer "had not actively pursued their departure until 2018," advising them that they would have to leave if they could not legalize their status. An ICE representative informed The Independent that the couple had no criminal backgrounds and provided no additional case details. The couple initially crossed into the U.S. near San Ysidro, California, in November 1989 without proper authorization and had "exhausted all legal avenues to remain in the U.S."
In 2000, they received a voluntary departure order after the immigration court found no valid grounds for them to stay in the country. However, the couple did not intend to leave following the issuance of that order. According to ICE, such orders permit individuals to depart the country at their own expense within a specified timeframe to avoid an actual deportation order.
