Gladys and Nelson Gonzalez, who lived in the US since 1989, were deported to Colombia after being arrested during a routine immigration check-in in February 2025. The couple, who raised three daughters in California, had spent years trying to legalize their status but faced multiple setbacks due to fraudulent legal advice and complications with their asylum application. Despite their long history of community involvement, including volunteering at food pantries, they were deported after exhausting all legal avenues.

The Gonzalezes fled Colombia in the late 1980s due to violent drug cartels, but their attempt to secure legal status in the US was hindered by ineffective legal counsel. Despite their compliance with immigration procedures, they were not given the opportunity to say goodbye to their family before being detained. Their daughters, devastated by the separation, are now focused on helping their parents settle in Colombia while raising funds to eventually bring them back to the US.

Due to immigration laws, the couple cannot return for at least 10 years. Their daughters remain hopeful for a future change in immigration laws that might allow their parents to return.