Los Angeles Man Seeks Answers After Wife’s Unexpected Detention at Green Card Appointment

**Pasadena Man Seeks Support After Wife’s Detention at Los Angeles Immigration Hearing**

Federal Agents Detain Pasadena Resident’s Wife During Green Card Process in Los Angeles

A Pasadena man, Tucker May, is appealing for public support after his wife, Barbara Gomes Marques, was detained by federal agents at a green card hearing in downtown Los Angeles. The incident occurred in early September at the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building, leaving the couple in emotional turmoil.

Unexpected Detainment Amid Citizenship Process

According to May, his 38-year-old wife was on her path to becoming a U.S. citizen when an unexpected turn of events upended their plans. After a seemingly routine meeting, Marques was asked to follow an official to make a copy of her passport—a step the couple believed was part of the naturalization process after their marriage last year.

However, the situation quickly escalated. Marques was taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, leaving May to grapple with the harsh reality of returning home alone. “Going home without her that night was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do,” he shared, recounting his wife’s enthusiasm for becoming an American and the distressing image of her shoes being returned to him.

Controversial Treatment and Alleged Court Date Oversight

Marques, a documentarian with no criminal history who first entered the U.S. on a tourist visa seven years ago, was subjected to what May describes as “unwarranted” treatment. “They put her in hand, leg, and waist shackles, as if she were some hardened criminal,” May recounted, noting the distressing incident where an ICE agent allegedly took a selfie while Marques was in tears.

The couple was reportedly unaware of a missed court date in 2019, which May asserts was not communicated to them. CBS News Los Angeles has reached out to both ICE and the Department of Homeland Security for additional details on the incident.

Legal Efforts and Concerns Over Deportation

Immigration attorney Marcelo Gondim, representing the couple, revealed that Marques spent a week at the Adelanto ICE Facility in California before being moved to a detention center in Arizona. Her looming transfer to Louisiana is causing further distress, as Gondim argues this strategy distances detainees from their legal support and families.

“They’re trying to remove her as far away as they can from her counsel and family, which hinders her ability to defend herself,” Gondim explained. He emphasized that Marques is legally eligible to become a permanent U.S. resident, given her marriage to a U.S. citizen, if bureaucratic hurdles were addressed.

The legal team has filed an emergency application for a temporary restraining order to prevent Marques from being relocated or deported. As they await judicial feedback, May continues to plead for assistance, emphasizing the broader implications of his wife’s case.

“I’m a man trying to get his wife back home, and we need someone with more power than I have to help,” May urged. “If we allow these types of things to happen to our most vulnerable people, it’s only a matter of time before it could happen to any of us.”