Jaen, who fled Colombia with his wife Ambar and daughter Aranza in 2023 seeking asylum, was detained by masked, plainclothes agents outside a DHS check-in facility in Manhattan as his wife and 12-year-old daughter pleaded for his release. His lawyer, Margaret Cargioli, said his detention follows a pattern of migrants being picked up during routine check-ins and quickly placed into expedited removal. Jaen had been separated from his family at the border, later released on humanitarian parole, and had a pending asylum petition, parole renewal, and stay of removal when he was unexpectedly told to report early for his check-in. After his detention he told his family he did not know where he was being held, and his wife and daughter still have an asylum hearing scheduled for 2028.