Venezuelan couple detained by ICE at workplace in North Miami
Oct 8, 2026·Location: North Miami, FL
Country of origin: Venezuela

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.
Sources
More incidents in Florida
- Nursing mother and two children detained by ICE in Fort Myers, prompting protestOct 13, 2026 · Fort Myers, FL
- Russian asylum seeker on hunger strike after months in Georgia ICE facilityOct 12, 2026 · FL
- Asylum seeker with work permit detained by ICE minutes after traffic stopOct 10, 2026 · Collier County, FL
- U.S. citizen held over 30 hours in Florida jail despite proof of citizenshipOct 8, 2026 · Leon County, FL
- Father of two detained by ICE on way to work in FloridaOct 7, 2026 · Yulee, FL
- Cuban man detained in Florida, deported to Central African Republic, held in BanguiOct 6, 2026 · West Palm Beach, FL