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Venezuelan couple detained by ICE at workplace in North Miami

Oct 8, 2026·Location: North Miami, FL

Country of origin: Venezuela

Venezuelan couple detained by ICE at workplace in North Miami
Photo via GoFundMe

Mario Sanchez and Liliana Leon were detained by ICE agents while working in North Miami, Florida, and taken to a holding facility. Both are authorized to work and live in the U.S. and have had a pending asylum case for over 10 years after fleeing government persecution in Venezuela. Their daughter, Stephanie Sanchez Whalen, started a fundraiser to cover legal costs, saying the couple is being held in ICE detention indefinitely with no release date.

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