OC couple scheduled to be deported to Colombia
OC couple scheduled to be deported to Colombia
A couple from Orange County from Colombia is now facing deportation due to Trump Administration's directives.
Stephanie Gonzalez’s family is speaking out after her parents, Gladys and Nelson Gonzalez, were detained as part of the ongoing mass deportation efforts. "We were told these deportations would target actual criminals, but thousands of innocent immigrants, including my parents, are being arrested and treated like criminals," Gonzalez said, describing her parents as "good people."
Gladys and Nelson Gonzalez arrived in the United States from Colombia in 1989, seeking asylum due to the dangerous conditions in their home country. "There was a lot of violence, a lot of drugs," Stephanie explained. "They came here to escape that danger."
The Gonzalezes, despite facing setbacks, continued their efforts to gain legal status. Their three daughters say their parents hired attorneys who were later disbarred, but the couple remained persistent, obtaining yearly extensions on their status. Nelson worked as a phlebotomist, and Gladys was a housewife. Neither had any criminal record.
"They never missed an appointment. They always showed up. They were never hiding," said Stephanie. "They were just good people doing what they were supposed to do."
The family’s situation took a devastating turn during the Gonzalezes' last immigration check-in. Gladys was granted an extension, but hours later, a different agent arrested both her and Nelson. "This official was cruel," said Stephanie. "They arrested my dad first and then called my mom in and arrested her too."
The Gonzalezes were informed they would be included in the ongoing mass deportations. The couple has been held in detention centers for nearly three weeks and are expected to be deported to Colombia by the end of the month. They were told they cannot appeal the decision.
Gabriela Gonzalez, the couple's daughter, spoke about the harsh conditions in detention: "They call them detention centers, but they’re basically jails. It’s scary, and they’re alone... They were separated from the very beginning."
In response to their parents’ detention, the Gonzalez daughters have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help Gladys and Nelson rebuild their lives in Colombia. Those looking to help can click here.
Stephanie emphasized that what happened to her parents should not happen to anyone else. "This is not how we should treat people," she said. "We should help them, because many of these people need help."