CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. – A South Florida family is fighting to set a loved one free after he was taken into custody by federal immigration agents this week.
While ICE and Border Patrol have been targeting known criminals, Local 10 News has also learned some of the illegal immigrants being targeted do not have a criminal record.
11 p.m. report:
Coral Springs man Dante Lopez was seen on camera consoling his family.
After coming to the U.S. with his parents in the 90s fleeing violence in his native Peru, his visa expired and he was deported.
Lopez’s life again was threatened in his native country by communist guerilla warfare, so he came back to the U.S., crossing the border illegally 15 years ago.
Since then, he’s been working, had a family and bought a home in Coral Springs.
His attorney says he has a clean record and has been working with ICE since 2022 to legalize his status.
But Wednesday, agents took him away from his family anyway.
“I saw one of the police in my playground,” said Lopez’s young son, Dante junior. “The police had a bunch of guns and shields. Why a bunch of police men looked like going to war for just one man? He’s been the best dad I’ve ever had in the world.”
His family is now doing what they can to fight for his freedom.