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Ismael C.: Construction worker held two months by ICE after traffic stop

Ismael Cerro, a construction worker detained during a traffic stop on his way to work, spent two months at Alligator Alcatraz and Krome. His lawsuit led an appeals court to restore bond hearings for detainees in Florida, Alabama and Georgia.

Sep 2025Hillsborough County, FLCountry of origin: Mexico

Ismael C.: Construction worker held two months by ICE after traffic stop
Photo via Miami Herald

Ismael Cerro, a 39-year-old Mexican national who immigrated to the U.S. over a decade ago, was detained by immigration authorities during a traffic stop on his way to work in September 2025. He spent two months in ICE custody at Alligator Alcatraz and Krome detention centers. Cerro filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's blanket policy that classified undocumented immigrants found in the U.S. as ineligible for bond hearings. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in his favor in May 2026, determining the policy unlawful and restoring bond eligibility for detainees in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia.

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