U.S. Citizen Detained Under Florida Immigration Law/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Juan Carlos Lopez Gomez, a U.S.-born citizen, was wrongfully arrested under Florida’s suspended immigration law. Despite presenting legal documents, ICE requested he be held for deportation. The incident has sparked renewed concerns about racial profiling and immigration enforcement overreach.
U.S. Citizen Wrongfully Detained by ICE — Quick Look
- Juan Carlos Lopez Gomez arrested near Georgia-Florida line under a suspended Florida immigration law.
- Despite being a U.S. citizen, ICE issued a detainer requesting further custody.
- Mother presented birth certificate, Social Security card, ID—charges were dropped.
- Leon County judge dismissed case immediately, finding no legal basis.
- ICE did not respond to inquiries about the detainer request.
- Incident occurred under law currently blocked by federal court.
- Advocates warn of racial profiling and systemic errors.
- Media coverage and public pressure prompted release of Lopez Gomez.
Deep Look: ICE Detains U.S. Citizen Despite Proof of Birth in Florida
Deep Looks
MIAMI (April 19, 2025) —
A 20-year-old U.S. citizen was mistakenly arrested and nearly turned over to immigration authorities after being stopped by Florida Highway Patrol just south of the Georgia state line, reigniting national debate about immigration enforcement, racial profiling, and due process.
Juan Carlos Lopez Gomez, born and raised in Florida, was a passenger in a vehicle stopped Wednesday during a routine traffic encounter. According to the Florida Immigrant Coalition, which provided legal support and attended court proceedings, Lopez Gomez was arrested under a controversial state law making it a crime for undocumented individuals to enter Florida. The law is currently on hold due to a federal injunction.
Despite that legal pause, Lopez Gomez was detained in Leon County Jail after his arrest. His situation became more troubling when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) filed a detainer request, asking jail officials to hold him an additional 48 hours — a move usually reserved for undocumented individuals facing deportation.
The charges, however, fell apart quickly. During a court hearing Thursday, Lopez Gomez’s mother provided multiple forms of documentation confirming his citizenship: a Florida state ID, his birth certificate, and his Social Security card. Judge Lashawn Riggans reviewed the evidence and dismissed the charges, stating there was “no basis” for them.
ICE did not offer comment on why they requested a detainer for a U.S. citizen. However, the agency’s guidelines clearly prohibit detention of individuals born in the U.S. except under rare and legally complex circumstances, none of which applied in this case.
“This was an outrageous mistake,” said Alana Greer, an immigration attorney with the Florida Immigrant Coalition. “They assumed he wasn’t a citizen because of his name and accent. That’s unacceptable.”
Greer suggested the incident reflected broader patterns of racial profiling and overreach under the current administration’s immigration policies.
“This law should not be enforced at all right now, let alone against someone who is indisputably a citizen,” she added.
Public attention intensified after the case was reported widely in the media, prompting social media campaigns and legal advocacy that pressured officials to release Lopez Gomez from custody.
Although he is now free, the case remains a stark example of the real-world consequences of aggressive immigration policies colliding with fundamental civil rights. Legal observers say Lopez Gomez’s experience highlights the risks for other U.S. citizens—particularly those who are Latino or don’t speak fluent English—being wrongfully caught in immigration enforcement systems.
Florida’s new immigration law, signed last year by Governor Ron DeSantis and intended to crack down on illegal immigration, was blocked by a federal judge who ruled it likely unconstitutional. The law has not been repealed, but its enforcement was paused pending court review.
Lopez Gomez’s arrest came despite that hold, raising questions about compliance with federal rulings by local and state law enforcement.
“There needs to be accountability,” said Thomas Kennedy, a spokesperson for the Florida Immigrant Coalition. “This shouldn’t happen to anyone—let alone an American citizen.”
As legal challenges to the Florida law proceed, civil rights groups are calling for systemic reforms, including stronger safeguards to prevent ICE detainers from being issued against U.S. citizens and better training for law enforcement.
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