Wife of soccer coach detained by ICE: “I feel no U.S. citizen should have to go through this”
The Trump administration has said that its mass deportation policy is going after “the worst of the worst.” But time and time again the truth is the opposite.
As a candidate, President Donald Trump campaigned on the idea that he would carry out the largest deportation operation in US history. He specifically said that his policy would target “the worst of the worst.”
However, the reality on the ground is a far cry from what was promised. This was shown once again when Utah resident Jair Celis, married to a US Citizen with whom he shares a young son, also a US citizen, coach of his local soccer team, and no criminal record according to his family and lawyer, was detained at his final hearing to receive his green card.
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Jair has been held in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents since he was arrested at his final interview with US Citizenship and Immigration Services in Salt Lake City on Tuesday. He attended the hearing with his wife but was suddenly separated from her and has been detained since.
“For all the people who think they’re just getting criminals, I am an example of them tearing our family apart,” said his wife Lexi, reports CBS affiliate KUTV. “We’ve tried to do everything the right way, we have, and he’s not here,” adding, “I want him to be home before Christmas.”
His family’s lawyer, Andy Armstrong, explained that Jair entered the country legally as a young child on a visa, “which allows him to adjust status here in the United States.” Jair should have walked out of that appointment with his green card approved according to Armstrong.
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This is the first time that one of the clients at Armstrong’s firm has been detained at a USCIS interview. But he is concerned that it may happen more in the coming days and months.
“We believe the presidential administration is putting heavy pressure on ICE in Utah,” he shared with KUTV. “I believe it is to sow fear among the immigrant community.”
While he admits that ICE has the authority to arrest people without legal status, even in a USCIS office, he said that in this case it’s “a colossal waste,” both of U.S. government taxpayer money and the ICE agents’ time and effort.
“Jair’s case shows that the rhetoric that we’re going after the worst of the worst, that’s not true,” Armstrong told the news outlet. “Lexie and JR have been married, lawfully married, and have filled out the proper paperwork to apply for residency for Jair.”
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