A family man who has lived in the United States for nearly three decades faces deportation after being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Although he has a criminal record, his family insists that he has been an exemplary citizen for the past 19 years, and they denounce the treatment he is receiving while in custody.
A routine appointment with ICE that changed their lives
On June 13th, Juan Erles González, a 56-year-old Cuban who arrived in the United States in 1995, went to report as he had done for years at the ICE office in Miramar, Florida. However, this time was different.
According to her daughter, Ana Lisse González, they were told on that occasion that there was a new "protocol" and that she had to be detained.
He was initially transferred to the Krome detention center, then to Glades, and finally to a facility in Texas.
There, he claims he was informed that he would be released at the border in the early hours of the morning.
Since his arrest, Juan has been moved between at least three detention centers and has barely been able to communicate with his family.
The calls he is allowed to make last only 30 seconds, his loved ones report.
“He is very sad, very hurt by everything that is happening, by how he is being treated,” his daughter Ana Lisse stated in an interview with Telemundo 51, who was able to speak with him recently. The lack of communication, uncertainty, and the very real possibility of deportation have plunged his wife and daughter into a state of despair.
Background of the case: a past conviction that weighs on the present
Juan González arrived in the United States after spending a year and a half at the Guantánamo base.
In 2007, he lost his permanent resident status after being convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to his wife, Yojaimen Labiste, González served his 18-month sentence in a federal prison and has not had any legal issues since then.
"He served his time for the crime he committed. After that, he worked for 19 years, paid his taxes, and fully reintegrated into society. He never had problems again," Labiste insists.
A migratory limbo marked by an old deportation order
An immigration attorney consulted about the case explained that, although González had residency, it was revoked due to his offense, which led to a deportation order.
However, for years he was not deported because Cuba would not accept him back, a situation common among Cuban citizens with a history in the U.S.
"Recently, what we have seen is that options have been opened up," the lawyer explains.
"In some cases, Cuba is accepting deportees, as are other countries."
Nonetheless, regarding the possibility of being simply abandoned at the southern border, he expressed his skepticism.
"I haven't heard any reports about that. It doesn't sound right, but anything is possible," he added, pointing out that a third country must formally accept the deportee before they can be transferred.
The family pleads for compassion and humanity
Juan's family asks that not only his past mistake be taken into account, but also his years of honest living in the United States.
“He is a good man. He worked hard, never committed a crime again, and always fulfilled what was asked of him,” his wife states.
The uncertainty surrounding the future of Juan Erles González continues, as his family fights to bring attention to his case and appeal to the authorities' compassion.
They are not trying to deny the crime he committed, but rather to take into account the time that has passed since then, his reintegration into society, and the deep bond he has with his family and his life in the United States.
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