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A 32-year-old man from Venezuela found himself in a difficult situation after mistakenly entering Canada via the Ambassador Bridge while delivering food in January. He has since been detained and deported back to El Salvador.
As reported by the New York Times, Ricardo Prada Vásquez was apprehended on January 15 while trying to return to the United States through the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. He was subsequently taken into custody by U.S. immigration authorities.
“The fact that a mere wrong turn at the border can lead to someone’s disappearance is deeply concerning,” expressed Christine Sauve, who is the policy engagement and communications manager at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center.
On March 15, the Department of Homeland Security verified via social media that Vásquez had been deported to El Salvador. They also refuted claims made by the Times that he was unaccounted for upon his return. The department alleged that he was connected to a criminal organization known as Tren de Aragua and had entered the U.S. through the Brownsville, Texas, Port of Entry on November 29, 2024.
Experts in immigration rights, including Sauve, have voiced their alarm regarding not just this case, but similar situations involving deportations that occur without affording individuals their legal rights.
“We’ve seen cases of extended detentions that are unjustified, lacking any oversight or entity to examine these circumstances,” Sauve noted. “Everyone in the United States, irrespective of immigration status, is entitled to due process.”
In a related incident last month, a Guatemalan mother named Sarahi was also detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection after mistakenly driving onto the Ambassador Bridge. Her attorney, Ruby Robinson from the Michigan Immigration Rights Center, stated that Sarahi lacked legal status and was detained at the security checkpoint along with her two children.
“Our client’s situation reflects a troubling pattern regarding the misuse of CBP’s short-term detention facilities for prolonged stays,” remarked Robinson. “While CBP’s role is to intercept, their facilities were not designed for long-term detention. Yet, under the current administration, this has become increasingly common. I believe the CBP staff are doing their best to ensure the well-being of those in their care, despite the logistical challenges they face.”
“There are likely many more individuals like Sarahi whose stories remain unheard,” she added.
On Thursday, the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, the ACLU, and Representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan discussed the alarming trend of immigrant detentions and disappearances near the U.S.-Canada border.
“A simple wrong turn should not result in someone’s disappearance or the denial of their due process and human rights,” Tlaib stated. “The experiences of Sarahi and Mr. Prada are both heartbreaking and infuriating, especially since they were held at the facility I visited in March.”
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