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Baker turns himself in to ICE to protect his children from detention

Jul 9, 2026 · Lake Worth, FL, Guatemala

Baker turns himself in to ICE to protect his children from detention

Jacobo Zapeta Castro, a Guatemalan baker and owner of El Quetzal Panaderia Y Cafeteria in Lake Worth Beach, Florida, turned himself in to ICE on July 9, 2026, after seeing immigration agents and Florida Highway Patrol officers outside his bakery. When officers threatened to enter the premises and detain his employees and children who were waiting in his car, Zapeta Castro voluntarily surrendered himself to protect them from enforcement action. His son sobbed as officers placed him in handcuffs. According to his nephew Gilbert Zapeta, who manages the bakery, Zapeta Castro had filed for asylum and possessed a valid Social Security number, work permit, and driver's license at the time of detention. He is described by family and staff as a devoted father and caring employer who frequently supported his workers and was active in his church community.

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