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Venezuelan woman held six months in ICE custody after domestic dispute call, then released

Apr 20, 2026 · Jacksonville, FL, Venezuela

Venezuelan woman held six months in ICE custody after domestic dispute call, then released

Gabriela Lozano Sousa, a Venezuelan national who entered the U.S. legally in 2023 through a humanitarian parole program, married U.S. citizen Brandon Garrison in April 2025, believing it would put her on a path to legal residency. In October 2025, a domestic-dispute call brought local police to the scene, who turned her over to federal immigration authorities; no criminal charges resulted. ICE classified her as an 'arriving immigrant,' subjecting her to mandatory detention without a bond hearing, and she was held at a facility in Baker County, Florida. Her attorneys argued the classification was legally incorrect. The couple had filed an I-130 petition on her behalf, under review since November 2025. A federal judge dismissed her immigration case in spring 2026, and she was released after roughly six months in detention, though federal authorities retained 30 days to appeal, leaving her future status uncertain.

Timeline

Apr 20, 2026Federal judge dismissed her immigration case and she was released after about six months in custody
Nov 26, 2025Report highlighted her five-month detention despite legal entry and lack of bond hearing
Nov 1, 2025I-130 petition filed on her behalf began federal review
Oct 1, 2025Domestic dispute call brought police, who handed her to ICE; no charges filed
Apr 1, 2025Married U.S. citizen Brandon Garrison shortly before her parole status expired

Sources

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