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Venezuelan asylum seeker and former political prisoner detained by ICE at routine Houston check-in

Sep 30, 2026·Location: Houston, TX

Country of origin: Venezuela

Venezuelan asylum seeker and former political prisoner detained by ICE at routine Houston check-in
Photo via latintimes.com

Gregory Sanabria Tarazona, a Venezuelan asylum seeker and former political prisoner who endured years in detention in Venezuela, was arrested by ICE during a routine check-in in Houston weeks before his scheduled asylum hearing. He was taken to an ICE processing center despite holding a valid work permit while his asylum case was pending. Amnesty International called for his release, and a Republican congressman formally wrote to the Department of Homeland Security requesting intervention on his behalf.

Timeline

Sep 30, 2026—Amnesty International demanded his release; a Republican congressman wrote to DHS on his behalf
Jun 13, 2025—Detained by ICE agents during a routine check-in in Houston ahead of his asylum hearing
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