Los Angeles father speaks out after wife, 9-year-old child detained during immigration appointment
A Los Angeles father is speaking out after his wife and stepdaughter were taken into federal custody in early June during what he says was a routine immigration check-in.
"One moment we're laughing, we're together, to now ... I have to adapt to a sudden change," said Roberto Gutierrez.
He says that the last two weeks have been filled with confusion and heartache after his family was torn apart on June 4.
His wife and nine-year-old daughter, both from El Salvador were seeking asylum in the U.S., but had their request denied. Still, they held out hope that something would change for the better.
"We're trying to do it the legal way, so we set up a family petition. So, if we don't check in, it's bad for the whole petition," Gutierrez said. "We had no other choice. ... We could have chosen to not show up, but we didn't want to do it that way."
They filed the petition in December 2024 and were told that it could take up to two years to process. Even though they followed every rule, Gutierrez said the two were taken into custody anyway, separating his wife from their 16-month-old baby.
"I hear my baby screaming, 'Mama, mama,'" he said. "It's at least three, four times a day."
Gutierrez says that both were transferred to a detention center in Texas, more than a thousand miles from home and their daughter. They're only able to connect over phone, while he and the baby, both of whom are U.S. citizens, are left waiting for answers.
"There's enough criminals you could deport. People with DUIs, whatever," he said. "But the people trying to do it the right way, just give them a chance."
He said that his choice to speak out isn't about politics or paperwork, but about his family.
"Every baby needs her mom, and every mom without her baby ... they're going to be suffering," he said.
CBS News Los Angeles has reached out to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for a statement on the matter but has not yet heard back.
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