As soon as Donald Trump took over the White House for the second time, immigration crackdown has been his number one priority, among other controversial actions. Now, a California couple who have been residing in the United States for over 35 years have fallen victim to mass deportation. According to many reports, Trump’s immigration crackdown has not only been targeting paperless violent criminals but also those with no criminal record, asylum seekers, permanent residents, backpackers, visiting academics, and even pro-Palestinian activists with green cards.
Now, Nelson Gonzalez, 59, and Gladys Gonzalez, 55, have been deported as part of this immigration crackdown. They have been in the United States for 35 years and have no criminal history since they came to the country. First reported by The Orange County Register, Nelson and Gladys were arrested from their residence at Laguna Niguel in the hills south of Los Angeles during a routine check with U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) on February 21. According to the report, they were detained for three and a half weeks and then finally deported to their native Colombia on March 18.
Crossing borders without authorization is a criminal misdemeanor. However, remaining in the United States without documentation is a civil infraction. Following their sudden deportation, the three daughters of the Gonzalez couple have expressed their shock. Taking to GoFundMe, they have stated that their parents never broke the law after arriving in the country. In addition, they claimed that Gonzalez never missed an appointment with immigration authorities.
Notably, their three daughters are reportedly U.S. citizens. “This sudden occurrence has left us in shock. For nearly four decades, they have built a life here — raising three daughters, giving back to their community, and recently welcoming their first grandchild,” they posted on GoFundMe.
“Now, they are being treated as criminals, held in detention centers, and facing deportation. This cruel and unjust situation has shattered our family emotionally and financially. Every day they remain detained is another stolen from their family, community, and their home,” they wrote.
An Orange County couple with no criminal history who had lived in the U.S. for 35 years were deported and are now in Colombia, according to an update from one of their three daughters on Thursday.
Gladys and Nelson Gonzalez of Laguna Niguel were detained on Feb. 21 during a… pic.twitter.com/dnYR29NnUS
— Nino America (@Nino_Merica) March 22, 2025
Following the reports, a spokesperson for ICE confirmed that the couple had been deported and that they didn’t have any criminal history. In addition, the agency revealed that Nelson and Gladys Gonzalez arrived in the U.S. in November 1989. They first touched down near San Ysidro, California. Nelson filed for asylum in 1992, but his case was closed six years later as he “failed to attend an interview,” according to ICE. The agency claimed that initially, the California couple agreed to leave the U.S. voluntarily in 2000.
However, later, they sought a legal way to remain while attending various court appeals over the next 21 years. In August 2021, the couple eventually “exhausted all legal options” to remain in the country, as revealed by the agency. While it is unclear why they were allowed to reside in the U.S. after that, historically, many paperless immigrants have been permitted to stay as long as they met certain conditions and checked with ICE on a regular basis.
It is to be noted that Donald Trump‘s administration has invoked an 18th-century wartime law to target unauthorized Venezuelan immigrants and violent criminals, many of whom have already been deported to El Salvador. However, in many cases, the standard legal procedures were not followed, reportedly in defiance of a court order. The judge for the Gonzalez case cited that Nelson and Gladys arrived in the United States during the period of sustained violence and terrorism in Colombia.
The reason for the couple’s extended stay until now, even when they exhausted all legal options, could be related to humanitarian reasons, health reasons, or a low priority for their deportation.
