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Demovictory9

(35,252 posts)
Thu Apr 3, 2025, 10:50 PM Apr 3

ICE agents arrest 73-year-old Cuban grandfather in Louisiana who has lived in US for 45 years

https://www.nola.com/acadiana/news/crime_police/ice-immigration-agents-reported-duson-lafayette-louisiana/article_62c60d8a-2be6-5ab7-857e-d36fe24294d0.amp.html

Forty-five years ago, Jose Francisco Garcia Rodriguez fled Cuba on a ship provided by the United States for people seeking refuge from the Cuban government.

While on his way to work on Monday, the 73-year-old grandfather was picked up by immigration enforcement agents near his Lafayette home. He sits today in an ICE processing center in Pine Prairie, a village in rural Evangeline Parish.

One of Rodriguez's stepsons posted Monday on Facebook that his father had been taken by ICE agents at a Circle K at the corner of Johnston Street and Guilbeau Road. The family has been quiet since that time.


On Thursday evening, though, Rodriguez's stepdaughter Christian Cooper Riggs, of Lafayette, posted a video on social media telling the story of her father's life and asking for help.

Rodriguez arrived in the U.S. with just the clothes on his back, Riggs said, with no education and not speaking English. He struggled and made mistakes, paid for them, and for the next 43 years lived a good life, raising a family and working hard labor for 40-60 hours a week, paying taxes and paying into Social Security, which he never used.

Three weeks ago, Rodriguez told Riggs he was afraid ICE would pick him up and deport him. Because of his earlier troubles, Rodriguez wasn't able to become an official citizen, despite 10 years of trying, she said.

6 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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ICE agents arrest 73-year-old Cuban grandfather in Louisiana who has lived in US for 45 years (Original Post) Demovictory9 Apr 3 OP
The recently passed immigration bill made him a priority for deportation Renew Deal Apr 3 #1
What was his offense? What were they looking for him? Deuxcents Apr 3 #2
non AMP link SouthBayDem Apr 4 #3
"Tiffany De Leon Steward of Lafayette said she saw a man in an SUV with Federal Enforcement written on it... C Moon Apr 4 #4
She could "miss" the writing on the SUV, or think it was fake DFW Apr 4 #5
Deporting Cubans takes it to a new level iemanja Apr 4 #6

Renew Deal

(83,760 posts)
1. The recently passed immigration bill made him a priority for deportation
Thu Apr 3, 2025, 10:52 PM
Apr 3

I believe it was the Laken Riley Act

C Moon

(12,790 posts)
4. "Tiffany De Leon Steward of Lafayette said she saw a man in an SUV with Federal Enforcement written on it...
Fri Apr 4, 2025, 01:40 AM
Apr 4

"sitting in her Oakbourne neighborhood Monday watching Hispanic workers as they put a new roof on a house."

How do these people sleep at night?

DFW

(57,702 posts)
5. She could "miss" the writing on the SUV, or think it was fake
Fri Apr 4, 2025, 02:58 AM
Apr 4

Then call the cops and say she was sure there was an armed robbery about to take place and give an accurate description of the vehicle. Then let the guy inside explain to police Sgt. Rodríguez and the four cops pointing guns at him what he was doing there.

iemanja

(55,796 posts)
6. Deporting Cubans takes it to a new level
Fri Apr 4, 2025, 03:33 AM
Apr 4

They are an important Republican constituency.
If they start deporting Miami Cubans, they could lose Florida.

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