She may spend Thanksgiving without her father. ICE took him away

Claudia Hernandez remembers her father’s words as if it was yesterday, when they celebrated their first Thanksgiving in the United States in the early 90s.

“We are guests in this country and we have to respect their traditions,” Carlos Hernandez told the family that had recently migrated from Mexico. 

Since then, every Thanksgiving was a moment to be grateful for the opportunity to be together and see the family’s three biological children and another three adopted children succeed and thrive. 

However, now the family is suffering as the patriarch, Carlos, 66, was detained by ICE agents while he was working as a street vendor in Koreatown. The family worries because he has a fragile health: he’s diabetic, has high blood pressure and was recently diagnosed with skin cancer. 

On Nov. 5, Carlos was arriving at his stand at the corner of Pico Blvd. and Menlo St., after a doctor’s appointment, to sell his household goods. His son was with him at the stand when they saw immigration officers pass by in a vehicle but they didn’t stop so the father and son didn’t worry. A little later, his son walked to the laundromat and the vehicle returned just to “kidnap” Carlos. 

Carlos said the immigration officers asked him, “are you legal?” and when he refused to answer he was immediately taken into custody.

A video in social media shows the moment he’s being arrested. He was the only person in that corner that was taken by immigration officers.

Claudia said he was transferred to the Downtown L.A. detention center where the family was able to take him his medicine. By the next day he was sent to the Adelanto ICE Processing Center where he has been since then. 

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Adelanto ICE Processing Center  detainees are permitted a maximum of three visitors, three times per week, with a one hour time limit. 

The visitation days change depending on the unit they are located in. For Carlos, the visits are Fridays, Sundays and Mondays. 

Claudia said because they are a large family they have been alternating to visit him. However, she got very emotional, saying her dad looks like a completely different person and has lost a lot of weight. 

“He said he’s sharing a space with about 50 other men, but he doesn’t want us to worry so he doesn’t tell us much,” said Claudia. “My dad has always been a provider, so not being able to be there for us, even though we are grown-ups now, is destroying him.”

She said in the DTLA detention center he was receiving his medicines, but in Adelanto his doses have been reduced. They were told the Adelanto facility requires its own internal medical evaluation before administering treatment. 

The family asks for help

Claudia said Carlos’ court date is on Nov. 24. She said they tried to get help from the Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles but it has been almost impossible as they also have a very long backlog of cases. 

“They said we need $2,000 just to find out what are his options,” she said 

As a result, they opened a GoFundMe page to help pay her father’s immigration attorney services. 

Bianca Guillen, Carlos’ daughter in-law, updated the GoFundMe donors on Nov. 12 saying that Carlos’ faith is strong.

“He told us that two people at the facility have warmly welcomed him, visiting him, keeping him company and praying with him daily,” she posted in the update. “Knowing he's not alone gives us strength.”

Sadly, Claudia's brother visited their dad on Monday and he told them he is overwhelmed and depressed while worrying about the family. 

“He said he was having trouble sleeping because he’s overthinking and that it gets really cold in there,” the brother told Claudia. 

Claudia said she wants to make it clear that her family is not made of criminals. They are hard working people.

“My daughter graduated from college and she’s in Japan. My son goes to USC. My dad has always paid his taxes,” she said. “We need him back.”