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Guatemalan painter arrested by ICE in Corona, Queens, separated from wife and three children

Dec 2025 · Corona, NY, Guatemala

Guatemalan painter arrested by ICE in Corona, Queens, separated from wife and three children

Florencio, from Guatemala who had lived in the U.S. for nearly 13 years, was arrested by ICE agents on his block in Corona, Queens as he returned home from a day of painting an apartment in Manhattan. His wife, Fidelina, and their three children—ages 13, 9, and younger—witnessed the arrest from their doorway. ICE agents claimed Florencio matched the appearance of a different target they were seeking, but arrested him anyway based on his appearance. When Florencio tried to explain he was Guatemalan, not Ecuadorian, the agents told him it did not matter because he lacked papers. Agents forcibly took him to the ground, twisted his ankle, and handcuffed him before placing him in an unmarked vehicle. He was detained for four months before being separated from his family.

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