A Colombian couple living in California, Diana Rodríguez Pardo and Jairo Alzate Elejalde, were detained by agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shortly after landing in Las Vegas, Nevada. The couple had traveled there to celebrate Jairo’s birthday, according to reporting by Colombian newspaper El Tiempo.
At the time of their arrest, Rodríguez and Alzate had an asylum application pending with U.S. authorities, a legal process that allows people to remain in the country while their case is reviewed. Despite this pending status, the two were taken into custody and later separated, leaving their two children without either parent at home.
The case has drawn public attention after relatives shared details of the family’s situation, including the children’s repeated questions about when their parents will return. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has since responded publicly, stating that the couple’s case will be reviewed by an immigration judge, though it did not offer further details on the couple’s current location or the specific reasons behind the arrest.
The story highlights the uncertainty many immigrant families face even while pursuing legal avenues like asylum, as enforcement actions can occur regardless of pending applications. It also underscores the emotional toll such separations take on children left behind.
To read the full story and follow updates on the family’s situation, check out the original report from El Tiempo.
Image: Ken Lund, BY-SA 2.0 (via Openverse).