LUBBOCK, TX – A routine trip to drop their daughter off at Texas Tech University took an unexpected turn for a North Texas couple, leading to their detention and possible deportation. Arcadio and Veronica Ortega, owners of a dry cleaning business in Grand Prairie, were stopped for a routine traffic check in Eastland County. Instead of a routine release, the officer contacted immigration authorities to verify their status.
The couple, who have lived in the United States for 25 years without visas, were swiftly taken to the county jail and then transferred to the South Texas Detention Complex. Their daughter expressed the family’s distress, highlighting their fear and uncertainty as they remain separated.
The Ortegas have run their dry cleaning business on Carrier Parkway for eight years, earning a reputation for community support. Longtime patrons like Bianca Duran are rallying behind them, writing recommendation letters and contributing to a fundraising account to assist with their legal battle.
The couple’s children are now grappling with the challenge of keeping the family business afloat during this turbulent period. They voiced their disbelief, emphasizing that their parents are not dangerous criminals, contrary to what they were led to believe about immigration enforcement priorities.
Immigration attorney Tessie Ortiz noted that if the traffic stop had occurred within the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the outcome might have been different. Many local police agencies in the area do not routinely check immigration status during minor traffic stops.
The Ortegas’ case underscores the current immigration policies, where minor violations can lead to significant consequences. Previously, immigration enforcement focused primarily on individuals with criminal records, but the current approach casts a wider net.
Their daughter shared her anguish online, expressing how the situation has fractured their family. The youngest daughter, newly enrolled in college, now faces the burden of this family crisis alongside her academic responsibilities.
The community continues to support the Ortegas, hoping for a resolution that will reunite the family and allow them to return to their lives and business in Grand Prairie.
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Author: John Nightbridge
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