This browser does not support the Video element.
Minnesota immigrant stranded in Central African Republic as feds fight return
The legal battle over a Nicaraguan immigrant deported from Minnesota to a potentially dangerous third country in Africa is escalating, as the federal government fights a judge's mandate to bring him back to the United States. Meanwhile, community advocates are rallying to demand his immediate return. FOX 9's Paul Blume has more.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The legal battle over a Nicaraguan immigrant deported from Minnesota to a potentially dangerous third country in Africa is escalating, as the federal government fights a judge's mandate to bring him back to the United States. Meanwhile, community advocates are rallying to demand his immediate return.
Sent to Africa
What we know:
The U.S. government had granted Kenis Lopez Gonzalez legal protection to live and work in Minnesota so he would not face torture in his home country of Nicaragua. He had lived in Shakopee, operated a construction company, and possessed a valid state driver’s license and work permit at the time of his deportation.
According to court records, Lopez Gonzalez was arrested outside his home in January during Operation Metro Surge. After being shuffled between several immigration detention centers for months, ICE deported him to the Central African Republic (CAR), a country that agreed to accept what are known as "third country" deportees from the United States.
The U.S. State Department currently maintains a Level 4 "Do not travel" advisory for the CAR, warning that the country suffers from a severe lack of government control and that foreigners are frequently targeted for violence and kidnappings. His legal team reports that Lopez Gonzalez is currently stranded in a guarded building in the capital city of Bangui where he relies on an international humanitarian group for "basic survival."
On October 30, U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey Bryan ruled that the government likely violated federal regulations and constitutional due process by arbitrarily detaining and deporting Lopez Gonzalez. The judge ordered the government to immediately return him to Minnesota.
Government appeal
The other side:
The Trump administration is pushing back aggressively against the judge's mandate. Earlier this week, federal attorneys filed an emergency motion requesting an immediate stay to halt the return order. The government is appealing the ruling to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.
In their court filings, attorneys argue that judicial intervention in this case irreparably harms the government by interfering with U.S. foreign policy and delicate diplomatic negotiations with foreign sovereign nations.
Furthermore, the government claims the District Court's decision conflicts with actions taken by the U.S. Supreme Court. Attorneys noted that the Supreme Court has already paused a similar class-action lawsuit regarding third-country deportations, arguing that this precedent should squarely control and pause Lopez Gonzalez's case.
Advocates Demand Action
What's next:
As the government fights the order, grassroots organizations are stepping in to rally for Lopez Gonzalez's safe return. The Workers Circle and Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en la Lucha (CTUL)—of which Lopez Gonzalez is a member-- have scheduled a Friday news conference to call for his immediate return.
Judge Bryan has yet to issue a follow-up ruling on whether he will pause his return orders to give the Eighth Circuit time to respond. Stay with FOX 9 for the latest developments in the case.