Southern California couple in U.S. for 35 years deported to Colombia

ktla ^ | 03/19/2025 | Josh DuBose

[BenLurkin]

An Orange County couple who came to the U.S. without authorization some 35 years ago, raised three daughters and now have a new grandson were deported to Colombia earlier this week, according to media reports.

Nelson Gonzalez, 59, and his wife Gladys Gonzalez, 55, originally entered the states near San Ysidro before ultimately settling in Laguna Niguel and starting their family.

While the couple tried numerous legal avenues to remain in the country over the years, including appeals to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Board of Immigration Appeals, a spokesperson for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement told The Orange County Register that the Gonzalez’s had “exhausted all legal options to remain in the U.S. between March 200 and August 2021,” and were ultimately in violation of immigration law.

Their three daughters, Gabby, 23, Jessica, 33, and Stephanie, 27, all U.S. citizens, told KTLA that they were devastated when they learned their parents had been detained on Feb. 21 during a regular check-in with U.S. immigration officials.

[FreedomPoster]

I see you understand Catholic Charities.

[SharpRightTurn]

“couple who came to the U.S. without authorization some 35 years ago, raised three daughters and now have a new grandson were deported to Colombia earlier this week”

About time!

[Hot Tabasco]

There is more to the story. For the past 24 years they have been reporting to ICE, as required, and have been allowed to stay up until now.

They weren't in hiding, they obeyed our laws and raised a beautiful family. The govt. could have easily issued them a green card anytime in the past 25 years but didn't.

Deporting them now accomplishes nothing but showing how screwed up our immigration system has been.

They are one of thousands of undocumented immigrants who regularly report to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while seeking legal alternatives to remain in the U.S.

[Jumpmaster]

https://www.texaspolicy.com/usaa-scorns-its-trump-voting-members-by-debanking-the-lawyer-who-defended-him/

Likewise. I’ve been with USAA for 30 years. A-1 service, but pricey. Looking for alternatives.

[ridesthemiles]

WHAT SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS WERE THEY USING???

KIDS ARE ANCHOR BABIES-—NOT CITIZENS

[ridesthemiles]

SOOOOOOOOOOO ——HOW DID THEY QUALIFY FOR A MORTGAGE??????

[alstewartfan]

This must be a POLITICAL WIN, in our land of snowflakes.
Yes, the birthright issue is a no-brainer.

[Kalamata]

“Gladys has a Bachelor of Business Administration with an emphasis in International Business and Social Justice”

***************************************************

Social “Justice”

[from occupied ga]

there was an article in Investors Business Daily back in the early 90’s that went into some detail on AARP and Catholic Charities as the two biggest NGO recipients of taxpayer plunder at the time. that is what first queued me in to their insidious influence.

[Svartalfiar]

In 35 years they never made any attempt to legalize their status?

Looks like to me they made efforts, they just didn't succeed. " appeals to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Board of Immigration Appeals, "

They made efforts to skip the line and just get it. They could have been doing it the proper way and going back to their home country and applying from there. And since they now had anchor babies, they'd have gotten preferential treatment. Instead, they just stayed here illegally hoping to just magically be given citizenship.

[Svartalfiar]

There is more to the story. For the past 24 years they have been reporting to ICE, as required, and have been allowed to stay up until now.

They weren't in hiding, they obeyed our laws and raised a beautiful family. The govt. could have easily issued them a green card anytime in the past 25 years but didn't.

They have been allowed to stay through the grace of a broken border enforcement system that allowed them to stay. Yea, it's not their fault no one pushed to kick them out, but they chose to stay, knowing they were here illegally. They just got lucky and their status was never enforced against them. Any time in those 35 years they could have gone home and immigrated the legal way, but instead, they just want to be given one of the greatest prizes on earth simply because they happened to have managed to stay here a while?

And they obeyed the laws?! Every day they're here illegally, they're breaking the law. How did they get legal employment without legal status? Did they pay taxes? If they actually did, using whose SSN? How did they get around? Fake drivers licenses? No DL? How did they obtain legal title to anything when they were illegals? Even if you ignore the illegal entry and being here illegally, there's likely quite a lot of other laws broken for them to even somewhat function in their daily lives...