By F. Amanda Tugade, Des Moines Register
- 20-year-old Pascual Pedro, who lived in West Liberty, Iowa, for seven years, was deported to Guatemala after a routine check-in with immigration authorities.
- Pedro arrived in the U.S. in 2018 and regularly attended check-ins, believing he was complying with the law.
- Immigrant rights groups are advocating for Pedro’s return, highlighting his clean record and community involvement.
July 1 started off like a normal day. West Liberty resident Pascual Pedro had to meet immigration authorities for a routine check-in appointment.
It’s something he has done every year since arriving in the U.S. in 2018 from Guatemala with his father.
What he didn’t know is that meeting would lead to his last moments in a country he has called home for the last seven years. Just five days later, he would find himself back in Guatemala, a place he no longer recognized.
“It’s been like four weeks, three weeks since I got here,” Pedro said via Zoom during an online press conference led by Escucha Mi Voz board president the Rev. Guillermo Treviño. “It’s not the same anymore. It’s been hard for me because I think like ‘What did I do bad over there?’
“‘Why do I deserve this thing that is happening to me?'”
Treviño, who also is Pedro’s godfather, used questions submitted by the Des Moines Register and other media outlets to guide the interview with Pedro.
In the last few weeks, Iowa City group Escucha Mi Voz, a faith-based immigrant rights group, has rallied around Pedro and his family, demanding state officials help bring back the beloved 20-year-old and former high school soccer star.
The group also is fighting for Noel Lopez, a Muscatine man detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in June who remains in the Muscatine County Jail.
From West Liberty to Guatemala
Seven years ago, Pedro and his father fled their home country of Guatemala. Soon after, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials issued both an expedited removal, but only Pedro’s father was deported, Tim Farmer, Pedro’s former immigration lawyer, previously told the Des Moines Register.
Officials also issued Pedro an order of supervision, which allowed him and many others like him to temporarily live in the U.S. with strict conditions while waiting final deportation orders.
But Pedro never thought he could be deported. He was 13 when he came to the states, settling in West Liberty with his grandparents and entering middle school. It was ingrained in him, he said, to follow the law.
He thought that meant staying out of trouble and being a good person.
“I didn’t have any crimes,” he said.
“I have never missed a single check-in with ICE in the seven years I was living there.”
On July 1, his last meeting with immigration authorities, Pedro said he was informed of an “order of deportation.” Shocked, he tried to ask questions, including if it was possible to see a judge, but he said he was ignored.
“They told me there’s nothing to do about it,” Pedro said.
Pedro’s family unaware of his deportation
From there, Pedro was arrested and taken to the Muscatine County Jail, where he notified his family of the news.
Pedro said he was taken out of county jail July 4 and shuffled from Cedar Rapids to Des Moines and then to Nebraska. While there, he boarded a plane to Louisiana, where he was briefly detained before his final stop: Guatemala.
Pedro remembered arriving at 9:22 a.m. July 7. His first task: find a phone and call his family. He had not spoken to them for four days.
“They didn’t know where I was (or) like what was going on with me,” he said.
‘If God gave me the chance’ I’d stay in Iowa, Pedro says
At a recent rally in Cedar Rapids, Pedro’s grandfather, Francisco Pedro, told the 200 protesters who came to support his family that his fight is not over. In Spanish, he said he is still seeking answers as to why his grandson was deported.
Treviño, who translated Francisco’s remarks in English, said Pedro “did nothing wrong.”
“He went to school. He graduated,” Treviño said to the crowd that gathered Tuesday, July 29, at the U.S. Courthouse. “The day he presented himself, he was detained.”
Leslie Lopez, Noel Lopez’s sister, understood Treviño’s and Francisco’s anguish. Her brother was detained by ICE officials in June. He remains in jail following an arrest that stemmed from a traffic stop, according to a GoFundMe Page Leslie Lopez and her family organized.
At the event, she broke down in front of dozens of supporters, her voice wavering as she held the mic.
“I don’t really know what to say,” she said, as she teared up, her voice cracking.
“It’s all really unfair,” she said, wiping away tears. “Honestly, I’m really mad.”
Meanwhile, back on Zoom, Treviño asked Pedro if he would like to come back to the U.S.
“If God gave me a chance,” Pedro said, “like if the people from over there give me a chance to go back, I would like to go back.”
“Like I said earlier, I haven’t done anything bad,” he said. “I was just like doing the right thing, going to my check-ins.”
Stay in the know with stories that matter — visit HolaAmericaNews.com for the latest news, culture, and community updates!
Facebook Comments