Victor Avila, a 66-year-old lawful permanent resident living in Chula Vista, California, is facing possible deportation after spending more than five decades in the United States.
According to The Latin Times, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained Avila upon his return from Japan, where he had been visiting his son, a member of the U.S. Air Force.
Avila and his wife landed in the San Francisco Bay Area on May 7. It was at the customs checkpoint that he was taken into custody. He was later transferred to an ICE detention facility, his daughter Carina Mejia told The Latin Times in an interview also cited by 10 News.
ICE initiated removal proceedings based on two misdemeanors dating back to 2009: a DUI and a drug possession charge. According to Mejia, her father has since turned his life around: “Two misdemeanors. He served his sentence, paid his dues. Since then, he’s been a model citizen — hard-working and never in trouble again,” she said.
Avila has been living legally in the U.S. since 1967. He is the father of four and grandfather of six. For the past 15 years, he has worked as a legal assistant at the San Diego-based labor law firm Kiwan & Chambers. His colleagues describe him as honest, generous, and deeply committed to helping others — often organizing fundraisers and community support initiatives, according to The Latin Times.
Immigration attorneys say Avila’s case reflects a growing trend in which long-time green card holders are targeted by ICE for decades-old, non-violent offenses. His situation raises concerns about the balance between public safety, justice, and immigration policy.
Avila is scheduled to appear before an immigration judge on July 15. In the meantime, his family is hoping he can avoid deportation to Mexico — a country he left as a young child.
To help fund his legal defense, the family has launched a GoFundMe campaign, which has already raised over $21,000. “We just want him home,” his daughter said.
Source: The Latin Times.
