Luis Leon, an octogenarian from Allentown, Pennsylvania, faces an unexpected and life-altering dilemma. In doing so, they have caused him to be secretly deported to Guatemala, putting him in danger. Without a form of identity, he went to an immigration office to get an emergency replacement for lost green card. He received that green card on the heels of being granted political asylum in the United States back in 1987.
Leon hails from the lovely country of Chile. He had lived in the U.S. for many decades, establishing roots and a life with his U.S. citizen family. Then his world was rocked by these last few months.
On June 20, Leon went to the immigration office to apply for a replacement green card because he had lost his wallet. To his shock, at this visit he was cuffed immediately by two ICE officers with no explanation. Even witnesses who weren’t directly involved in the crash found the scene shocking. Leon’s wife was stunned as they took her husband away.
Adding to the outrage, a woman who reportedly posed as an immigration attorney tried to contact Leon’s family right after his arrest. She was genuinely ready to help. She did not provide information on how she found out about Leon’s condition or place of existence. This ambiguous messaging sent the hospitalized family—and patients in a similar situation—into a tailspin of uncertainty and worry.
On July 9, in a cruel twist of fate, that same woman called again—this time with the heartbreaking news that Leon had passed away. Her family in Chile eventually found out the whole story. He was very much alive and recovering in a hospital in Guatemala. Following his arrest, officials transferred Leon to an immigration detention center in Minnesota. Instead of any formal notice, they deported him entirely.
Leon’s family became more concerned when they discovered that his deportation had not appeared on any publicly available ICE detention logs. This alarming discovery cast a dark shadow of doubt over the openness of the immigration process. Leon has diabetes complications. Leon’s health has taken a major turn. His deportation brings pressing questions about his family’s future, as they continue to fear for his safety.
The case has helped highlight the serious abuse and mistreatment of new mothers and families with young children by the U.S. immigration system. Advocates are particularly concerned by the processes that led to this situation developing in the first place, with no clear oversight or lines of communication.