Bradenton family’s story reveals how Florida jails drive deportations.

Key Information

• Subject: The arrest and deportation of Romero Santos from Florida.
• Date of deportation: July 2023.
• Charges faced: Misdemeanor charges for driving without a license and obstruction of justice.
• Impact: Mass deportation strategies under Trump’s administration targeting immigrants through local jails.
• Context: Analysis shows that arrest for minor violations can lead to deportation.

As Romero Santos pulled into the driveway, the deputy flashed his emergency lights. Romero Santos parked, got out of the truck, and walked quickly towards the house, telling Suncoast Searchlight, “That’s when [the deputy] came running from the other side of the car and put handcuffs on me.”

Inside, his wife, Sheysa, slept, unaware of the events unfolding on their doorstep. Only when Romero Santos called from jail did she learn of his misdemeanor charges and that she’d need to pay $650 for his bond, believing it would bring him home. Instead, ICE detained him and deported him to Honduras weeks later.

Romero Santos is among many immigrants ICE has taken into custody from Florida jails this year, as the agency pursues mass deportation goals. Many individuals, like Romero Santos, are legally presumed innocent and have not been afforded a trial.

A traffic stop or minor arrest can trigger a deportation pipeline, severing families and disrupting lives. Suncoast Searchlight conducted an extensive analysis of local and national data, finding:

• In Florida, the jail-to-deportation pipeline has fueled Trump’s mass deportation efforts, as routine arrests often lead directly to ICE custody.
• Most individuals apprehended have nonviolent offenses or no criminal records.
• Some detainees never get their day in court, with local cases unresolved.
• The system complicates legal processes, leaving courts and public defenders scrambling for information on deported individuals.

After an arrest, sheriff’s departments share inmate information with ICE, who issues a “detainer” to hold individuals for an additional 48 hours, allowing agents to take them into custody. This routine uses jails to identify undocumented individuals, creating a system that has surged under the current administration.

Romero Santos had fled gang violence in Honduras and sought asylum in the U.S. in 2014. After building a life and a business in Florida with Sheysa, he faced deportation when his asylum claim was denied. His arrest stemmed from a simple traffic incident, leading to his subsequent detention and eventual deportation.

Sheysa spoke of her husband’s arrest, “Everything we built, I thought, had fallen apart.” With their family at risk of losing everything, she took over the construction business as they sought to reunite despite the obstacles imposed by immigration laws.

In court proceedings, local charges against deported immigrants often remain unresolved, compounding their challenges if they ever attempt to return to the U.S. Suncoast Searchlight’s analysis revealed that many individuals deported faced pending criminal cases, leaving local courts dealing with unresolved charges.

As Sheysa juggles business responsibilities and family care, she looks forward to visiting Honduras during the holidays with her children while her husband retains hope to return to the United States. Romero Santos maintains, “I have faith in God I’ll [return].”

This story was produced by Suncoast Searchlight, a nonprofit newsroom of the Community News Collaborative serving Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties. Learn more at suncoastsearchlight.org.