Texas Firefighter’s Husband Detained by ICE During Immigration Appointment

ICE detains Venezuelan immigrant

Firefighter denounces immigration betrayal

Case sparks family outrage

Karina Ramos has spent the last 12 years responding to emergencies as a firefighter in Grand Prairie, north of Texas.

Her daily routine involves helping people escape dangerous situations.

Now, however, she is facing a personal crisis outside of work.

ICE detains Venezuelan immigrant during immigration appointment

On March 25, her husband, Juan José Oviedo, was detained by agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a scheduled immigration check-in.

Karina, a U.S. citizen born in California to Mexican parents, says the case completely changed her family’s life.

“When I go to work, I have to leave these problems behind, forget about them, and be a firefighter,” she told N+ Univision 23.

Detention happened during routine immigration check-in

@univision23dfwBombera de Texas denuncia impacto tras detención de su esposo por ICE durante cita migratoria♬ sonido original – Univision 23 DFW

According to Karina, Juan José Oviedo attended a routine immigration check-in when he was detained by federal agents.

She explained that everything happened unexpectedly inside the immigration office.

“Suddenly an agent told him to come back, and that’s when they detained him without explanation,” she said.
Karina explained that the family spent two days without knowing where her husband had been taken.

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Eventually, she received a phone call from the Prairieland Detention Center in Texas.

“Hello love, how are you?” Juan José can be heard saying in the phone call shared with N+ Univision 23.

Documents obtained by the outlet show that the Venezuelan immigrant still has an active immigration case.

Among them is a pending asylum request.

There is also an I-130 family petition filed by Karina, who is a U.S. citizen.

According to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the I-130 petition allows citizens to request permanent residency for immediate family members, including spouses.

ICE keeps Venezuelan immigrant in custody

ICE confirmed to N+ Univision 23 that Juan José Oviedo was arrested after entering the United States without inspection in December 2023.

The agency stated that he will remain detained while his immigration process continues.

ICE also explained that a work permit does not represent permanent legal immigration status.

The agency added that having employment authorization does not prevent detention or possible deportation.

USCIS states that work permits authorize legal employment but do not automatically equal permanent residency.

Karina said Juan José Oviedo had valid employment authorization.

She also stated that he worked at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

“You simply cannot work there if you are a criminal,” she said.

The firefighter said she feels frustrated by the impact the situation has had on her family.

“I feel betrayed. Even citizens are being affected,” she stated.

Detainee describes conditions inside Prairieland facility

From inside the detention center, Juan José Oviedo spoke by phone with N+ Univision 23 about conditions at the facility.

“We are not bad people,” he stated during the interview.

The Venezuelan man explained that he fled his country seeking asylum because of fears of political persecution.

Now, he says one of his greatest concerns is the sanitary conditions inside the detention center.

“There are approximately 90 people here. There is no ventilation whatsoever,” he said.

According to his account, illnesses constantly spread among detainees.

“When some recover, others get sick. It’s a chain of viruses,” he claimed.

ICE identifies Prairieland as an immigration detention facility located in Alvarado.