Venezuelan cook detained at traffic stop, self-deports after 11 years in U.S.
May 5, 2026 · Orlando, FL, Venezuela

Diego Armando Escalona Polanco, a 19-year-old Chipotle cook in Orlando, was detained by ICE agents following a Florida Highway Patrol traffic stop for a vehicle registration issue. Unable to afford legal representation and facing unfavorable odds in his case, Escalona signed paperwork to self-deport. He spent 42 days at Krome North Service Processing Center in Miami before being transported through four states in shackles and flown to Venezuela, where he reunited with family in Maracaibo after 11 years living in the United States.
Timeline
Jun 16, 2026—Released from Krome North Service Processing Center in Miami after 42 days in detention
Jun 16, 2026—Transported through four states in shackles and flown to Venezuela; reunited with family in Maracaibo
May 5, 2026—Escalona signed self-deportation paperwork after determining he could not afford legal representation
May 4, 2026—Diego Armando Escalona Polanco detained by ICE agents following Florida Highway Patrol traffic stop for vehicle registration issue in Orlando
Sources
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