Knightdale man facing deportation finally freed
WAKE COUNTY, North Carolina (WTVD) -- Ruben Guzman has been reunited with his family two months to the day that he was separated from them. Now they look forward to getting back to normal.
"I'm out here just looking at the trees, at the grass, it's just beautiful out here," said Guzman, outside of the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia on Friday night.
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In April, ABC11 first introduced you to Guzman's family. They welcomed us into their home in Knightdale and showed us their son's empty room.
On March 12, Guzman was arrested by Knightdale Police. Earlier that night friends picked him up to head to a party. His family said their son did not know that the car his friends were driving had been stolen.
ORIGINAL STORY: WAKE COUNTY DAD SAYS HIS SON FACES DEPORTATION
When they were stopped by the police, Guzman was arrested with his friends. His charges, however, were dismissed right away. Still, he was not released and was sent through the system to possibly be deported to Mexico, a country he does not know.
Guzman is 22 and has lived in the U.S. with his family his entire life. Soon after his arrest, he was transported to the Stewart Detention Center in Georgia.
"It broke me down the first couple of weeks," said Guzman. "I had to regroup and had to think of what am I going to do next? And I took it day by day."
Byron Martinez with Unidos We Stand has been advocating for the family every step of the way. He said Guzman should have never been sent away because he still has an active DACA status, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. He also said since Guzman was not convicted of the crime, he should have been able to go home after the charges were dropped.
After two months of fighting through the system, Martinez said Guzman was granted a bond of $1,500 and was released from ICE custody.
"All of this comes in time as his mother, who has suffered tremendously throughout this entire process, will be able to hold her son well before the Mother's Day celebrations this weekend," said Martinez in a statement.
"I missed my freedom so much, I'm so glad to have it back," said Guzman. "I'm thankful for God first of all, I'm thankful for all the support I had with me the whole time."
