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Jesus C.: Los Angeles car wash worker deported by ICE, separated from four children

Jesus Cruz, detained while polishing cars at a Los Angeles car wash in June 2025, was deported to Mexico and briefly reunited with his wife and four children in August.

Aug 1, 2025Los Angeles, CACountry of origin: El Salvador

Jesus C.: Los Angeles car wash worker deported by ICE, separated from four children
Photo via Los Angeles Times

Jesus Cruz was detained by ICE agents on June 9, 2025, at a Westchester car wash in Los Angeles while working polishing luxury vehicles. His wife, Noemi Ciau, could not locate him in ICE's online system or get communication for days afterward. At least 26 car wash workers were detained across the Los Angeles area during that week's immigration raids, with advocates reporting difficulty locating people held in temporary facilities. Cruz was later deported to Mexico, and in August he briefly reunited with Ciau and their four children during a visit to his hometown of Kini in the Yucatán Peninsula. Cruz said his eldest daughter stopped sleeping well and quit piano, and his youngest son began acting out since his deportation. The family, with Ciau working at LAX and the children in school in Inglewood, is weighing whether to relocate to Mexico or remain in California amid a lengthy reunification process.

Timeline

Aug 1, 2025—Cruz, after being deported to Mexico, briefly reunites with his wife and four children in his hometown of Kini, Yucatán
Jun 9, 2025—Jesus Cruz detained by ICE agents at a Westchester car wash in Los Angeles; wife unable to locate him for days
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