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Couple with U visa protections detained eight months by ICE, lose home and jobs

Aug 27, 2025 · Tulsa, OK, Mexico

Couple with U visa protections detained eight months by ICE, lose home and jobs

On August 27, 2025, Vasquez (49) and Ramirez (40), a married couple from Mexico, were arrested by ICE during a traffic stop in Tulsa despite having pending U visa applications and federal deportation protections as crime victims who assisted law enforcement in prosecuting a serial rapist. Ramirez was held for four months at Bluebonnet Detention Facility in Texas, where she was denied access to seizure medication for her epilepsy. Vasquez was detained for over seven months at a CoreCivic facility in Cushing, Oklahoma, and attended 13 immigration court hearings before winning a habeas corpus lawsuit granting him a bond hearing. The prolonged separation and detention resulted in job loss, eviction from their home in Broken Arrow, and approximately $12,000 in accumulated legal debt. Vasquez was released in April 2026 on deferral of removal grounds, followed by Ramirez's release. Both remain without legal status and are working to recover financially while awaiting U visa hearings.

Timeline

Aug 27, 2025Vasquez and Ramirez arrested by ICE during traffic stop in Tulsa despite pending U visa applications and crime victim protections
Aug 2025Couple separated and detained at different facilities; Ramirez held at Bluebonnet Detention Facility in Texas, Vasquez at CoreCivic facility in Cushing, Oklahoma
2025-2026During detention, couple lost jobs, home in Broken Arrow, and accumulated $12,000 in legal debt; Ramirez denied access to epilepsy medication; Vasquez attended 13 immigration court hearings
Apr 2026Vasquez released on deferral of removal grounds after winning habeas corpus lawsuit and securing bond hearing with local attorney and community support
Apr 2026Ramirez released following husband's release; couple moved to apartment and began financial recovery

Sources

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