Police ICE
- 499 views
A Southern California family is grappling with the deportation of their parents, Nelson and Gladys Gonzalez, to Colombia after more than three decades of residency in the United States.
The deportation leaves behind their three American-born daughters, Gabby, Jessica, and Stephanie, and one grandson. Nelson Gonzalez, 59, and Gladys Gonzalez, 55, entered the US without authorization near San Ysidro and established a life in Laguna Niguel, Orange County.
Despite multiple attempts to gain legal status through the US Citizenship and Immigration Services and the federal courts, their efforts were unsuccessful. According to a statement from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Gonzalezes "exhausted all legal options to remain in the US between March 2000 and August 2021" and were in violation of immigration law.
The couple's detention occurred during a routine check-in with immigration officials, a moment their daughters describe as traumatic. Stephanie Gonzalez, 27, details the shock of witnessing her parents being handcuffed and treated "as criminals," despite their consistent compliance with immigration procedures.
After being held in detention centres in California, Arizona, and Louisiana, Nelson and Gladys were deported to Colombia. The Gonzalez's daughters plan to visit them in Colombia. The deportation of the Gonzalezes highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the US immigration policies, particularly concerning long-term undocumented residents.
The case reflects the impact of stricter immigration enforcement policies, especially those enacted during the Trump administration, which prioritized the removal of undocumented immigrants irrespective of community ties or criminal history.