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Mississippi man detained by ICE after car accident, leaving pregnant wife alone

Aug 21, 2026·Location: Kiln, MS

Country of origin: Mexico

Mississippi man detained by ICE after car accident, leaving pregnant wife alone

Heriberto "Eddie" Reyes-Ochoa, a 34-year-old originally from Mexico who has lived in the U.S. for 20 years, was detained after a minor traffic accident near his home in Kiln, Mississippi. A Mississippi Highway Patrol trooper determined he lacked legal immigration status and took him to the Hancock County jail, where he stayed over the weekend before posting bond; ICE then took him into custody the next day and transferred him to the Adams County Correctional Center in Natchez, Mississippi. Reyes works in marine construction, has been married to his wife Catherine Cool, a U.S. citizen, for over a decade, and the couple is expecting their first child in January. Reyes had been pursuing lawful permanent residency through consular processing and was awaiting a visa interview when he was detained.

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