Man deported despite living in U.S. for 28 years, U visa pending
Aug 2, 2026·Location: San Diego, CA
Country of origin: Mexico

Esteban Rios Sosa, a Mexican national who has lived in Oceanside, California since 1988, was detained with his wife by ICE at the gate of Camp Pendleton while visiting his pregnant daughter, who lives on base with her active-duty Marine husband. Rios Sosa's son, a former Marine Sergeant, said the family held deferred action status tied to his wife's pending U visa petition and had valid work permits that should have shielded them from enforcement. After being fitted with ankle monitors and told to report for a routine ICE check-in, Rios Sosa was instead taken to a federal building basement and deported to Mexico within 24 hours, without notice that his status had been revoked. His son has accused ICE and DHS of discrimination and false accusations of criminal activity, and the family sued the agencies for violating federal law and due process rights. A federal judge later ordered the government to immediately facilitate Rios Sosa's return to the U.S. and restore his immigration status.
Sources
- Judge orders ex-marine's deported dad be returned to US "immediately"
Newsweek·Sep 9, 2026
- Asylum-seekers now held for days – in a downtown San Diego basement
timesofsandiego.com·Oct 21, 2025·archived copy
- San Diego congressmen say Trump admin denied them access to courthouse ICE detention
nbcsandiego.com·Oct 20, 2025·archived copy
- Congressional members denied access to federal courthouse basement amid detention concerns
10news.com·Oct 20, 2025·archived copy
- Asylum-seekers held for days – in an office basement in downtown San Diego - Stocktonia News
stocktonia.org·Oct 25, 2025·archived copy
- The father of a U.S. Marine who was quickly deported last fall after he and his wife were detained trying to visit their daughter at Camp Pendleton is now suing ICE and the Department of Homeland Security.
nbcsandiego.com·Jul 30, 2026·archived copy
- Resources | Center for Human Rights & Constitutional Law
- Deported father of San Diego Marine is victim of mistaken identity, family says
nbclosangeles.com·Oct 17, 2025·archived copy
- CourtListener
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