Texas father with five children was detained by ICE on his way to work. Now his family is losing their home

For Jose Luis, an ordinary morning stop to pump gas on his way to work in southern Texas turned into a life-altering nightmare. Without warning, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents surrounded him, demanded his immigration status, and within minutes, the father of five was handcuffed and taken away.

Now, Jose Luis faces imminent deportation, leaving his wife, Rosa, and their five children devastated. With their sole source of income gone, Rosa has been forced to sell their belongings, abandon their home, and move in with her parents.

Every day, their children ask, “Where’s Dad? When is he coming home?” And every day, Rosa struggles to answer.

Jose Luis is one of millions of undocumented immigrants living, working, and raising families in the U.S. for years—many paying taxes and contributing to society. But under the latest immigration crackdown, the Trump administration has launched the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history.

ICE arrest rates have nearly doubled since Trump returned to office, averaging 710 arrests per day, up from 311 under Biden.

Over 10,000 people have already been deported, with military flights widely publicized by the White House.

Guantanamo Bay is now being used to house detainees, highlighting the scale of the operation.

Communities across America are living in fear, as ICE raids turn restaurants, job sites, and traffic stops into deportation centers. Parents hesitate to send their children to school, fearing they might never see them again.

For Rosa, the impact of her husband's detention has been devastating. The business Jose Luis built to provide for his family is now gone. Struggling to survive, she has had to sell two work trucks, pack up her home, and uproot her children’s lives.

“There was so much going through my head when I found out,” Rosa said. “All the payments for the house, the kids… I don’t know what’s next.”

Their children—ages 11, 9, 5, 4, and 2—were all born in the United States. Until that fateful day, they were just like any other family, living their version of the American Dream.

Now, their dream has turned into a nightmare.

Rosa has only been able to speak to Jose Luis a few times since his arrest. She desperately tried to raise money for legal fees, hoping to fight his deportation. But there is no bond, no court hearing—just immediate deportation.

“They told him there was no option to see a judge. He will be deported,” Rosa said, her voice breaking.

She is not alone. Thousands of families are experiencing the same fate, their lives upended overnight with little recourse.

The climate of fear in Texas is palpable.

“The streets are empty. The stores are quiet. People are leaving,” Rosa shared.

Friends and neighbors are pulling their kids from school, choosing to return to Mexico rather than risk separation. Families who have lived in the U.S. for decades are packing up and leaving overnight—not because they want to, but because they no longer feel safe.

For Rosa, leaving Texas was never an option—until now.

“I always said, ‘I’m a Texas girl. I wouldn’t move.’ But now? I don’t know anymore.”

She never imagined this would happen to her family.

“We’ve been here for a long time. This has never happened to us. I’m just… speechless.”

The mass deportation effort has led to:

Thousands of families separated, with no path to reunification.

Children left without parents, confused and traumatized.

Local economies impacted, as businesses close and workers disappear.

Entire communities in turmoil, unsure of what the future holds.

While immigration policy remains a polarizing issue, one undeniable fact is that real people—mothers, fathers, children—are suffering as a result.

Jose Luis’s family is just one of thousands who have been plunged into crisis. And as the crackdown continues, more lives will be shattered overnight.