Spanish citizen held six months after judge approved voluntary departure, deported
Oct 18, 2025·Location: Chicago, IL
Country of origin: Spain

Miguel Barreno López, a 39-year-old Spanish citizen, was arrested by ICE on October 18, 2025, during a traffic stop near Chicago after his tourist visa expired. An immigration judge approved his voluntary departure to Spain on November 17, 2025. Despite this approval, Barreno remained detained at Kenton County Detention Center in Kentucky for six months with no communication from ICE regarding his departure status or case updates. He was eventually deported to Spain in May 2026 and banned from re-entering the U.S. for ten years.
Sources
- Why appeals courts are splitting over releasing immigrants on bond
csmonitor.com·May 5, 2026·archived copy
csmonitor.com·May 5, 2026·archived copy
- The Spanish citizen forgotten by everyone at an ICE center: ‘I am literally abandoned, as if I don’t exist’
english.elpais.com·Apr 20, 2026·archived copy
- All news
- Spanish Citizen Miguel Barreno Returns After Six Months Detained by ICE in U.S.
newsscaner.com·May 5, 2026·archived copy
- CourtListener
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