Lehigh Acres man struggles after wife was detained by ICE

Daniel Rios, a U.S. citizen and lawn care business owner in Lehigh Acres, is struggling to keep his family and business together after his wife, Teresa Rios, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last week. "Yesterday, by myself, I'm the one mowing the yard, every turn I do I'm sure I saw her face. I was just crying all day long," Rios said. Teresa, who worked alongside her husband in their lawn care business, was detained during a traffic stop by the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP). Rios described the incident, saying, "The officer, he never stepped out of the vehicle and said I stopped you for this reason. He stayed in his car and let the ICE agents do their work." ICE stated that Teresa was arrested 27 years ago for crossing the border illegally twice. Despite raising three U.S.-born children and being married to a U.S. citizen, her prior unlawful entries prevented her from becoming a citizen. "Yeah, she came here illegally, but she's not a criminal. She didn't harm nobody," Rios said. Immigration attorney Indera DeMine explained the legal implications of Teresa’s case. "Multiple unlawful entries into the United States can be a federal crime or classified as a criminal crime. She was never charged federally with any crimes," DeMine said. ICE emphasized that crossing the border twice is considered a felony, which has led to Teresa’s deportation proceedings. DeMine noted that prior administrations did not prioritize cases like Teresa’s, but enforcement has increased under the Trump administration. "In my career, this is the first time I've seen enforcement in this way," DeMine said. Teresa is currently detained in Louisiana and is expected to be deported to Mexico, leaving her husband and children behind. She will not be able to return to the U.S. for 10 years. "She's like attached to me. Because she takes care of the family and she works with me. I'm with her 24/7," Rios said. Rios expressed the difficulty of relocating his family to Mexico, saying, "Imagine if I try to bring my kids over there. They've never been to Mexico." When asked about those who believe Teresa’s detention is justified, Rios responded, "They got no heart." "We considered this country as our home too," Rios said, as he continues to work and care for his family while facing an uncertain future. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.