A family in Pittsburg, Kansas is fighting to bring their mother home after she was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during what they believed would be a routine immigration appointment. According to Carina Moran, her mother, Rosmery Alvarado, was taken into custody at the USCIS Field Office in Kansas City, where she had gone for an interview regarding her green card application.
“She was ripped away from us,” Moran said. “I’ve never been without my mom, and now I have to tell my little brothers they won’t see her. It’s heartbreaking to see my dad struggling like this.”
Moran explained that her father, Nixon, became a U.S. citizen in March and had petitioned for Alvarado to obtain permanent residency. A few weeks later, they received notice of an interview with USCIS. On Wednesday, Moran’s parents and their attorney went to the appointment. While everything initially seemed routine, things quickly changed. Nixon said officers told them the paperwork looked fine but then separated him from his wife. ICE agents then entered the building and detained Alvarado, taking her away in an unmarked white van.
“She was taken without a word,” said Moran. “We thought it was a normal interview, but we were misled.”
Alvarado is currently being held in a detention facility in Chase County, around two hours away. The family’s lawyer later informed them that Alvarado had a previous deportation order, reportedly stemming from a missed court appearance when she was a minor. Despite believing they had all the necessary documentation and legal protections in place, the family is now waiting on a decision regarding an emergency request to halt her deportation.
If denied, Alvarado could be deported to Guatemala within three days.
Moran said her mother has diabetes, and she has launched a GoFundMe to help cover medical costs, legal fees, and expenses for potentially shipping her mother’s belongings internationally.
ICE has acknowledged the case but has requested more personal details before issuing a statement.
