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By Mandy Taheri
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Victor Avila, a 66-year-old green card holder who has lived in the United States since he was a teenager, was detained in May by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at San Francisco International Airport after returning from a trip to visit his son, a U.S. Air Force servicemember stationed in Japan, according to local reports and a GoFundMe page.
Newsweek has reached out to ICE and USCIS for comment via email on Wednesday.
Why It Matters
Avila's detention comes amid an immigration crackdown under the Trump administration. In addition to people residing in the country illegally, immigrants with valid documentation—including green cards and visas—have been detained and face legal jeopardy.
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President Donald Trump has pledged to carry out the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history, and in the initial months of his second term, his administration has deported more than 100,000 people. Many migrants have been deported as a result of Trump's invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which grants the president authority to deport noncitizens without appearing before a judge, among other wartime authorities.
What To Know
Avila was detained May 7 at San Francisco International Airport after returning from Japan. The 66-year-old has been a legal permanent resident since 1967, when he immigrated to the United States from Mexico. He was returning from the trip with his wife, who had not been detained.
According to a GoFundMe page, his wife, four children and six grandchildren are all U.S. citizens, including his son, who serves in the U.S. Air Force.
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A longtime resident of San Diego, Avila has worked as a legal assistant at the workers' compensation law firm Kiwan & Chambers APC for over a decade. Colleagues from the firm organized the fundraiser.
Newsweek reached out to Avila's employer, Kiwan & Chambers APC, for comment via email on Wednesday.
Avila's daughter, Carina Mejia, told local outlet ABC 10 News that her father was pulled over in 2009 and arrested for a DUI and drug possession misdemeanor. He served his time and paid the fines for the misdemeanors. She said he has been able to renew his green card two times since that arrest.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) spokesperson told Newsweek in an email on June 25, that "Six separate arrests - driving under the influence, drug possession, and petty theft - do not make for an upstanding lawful permanent resident." The spokesperson also said, "Possessing a green card is a privilege, not a right."
In a Tuesday update, the organizers noted that Avila has been transferred to an ICE detention center outside of Bakersfield, California.
The GoFundMe has raised over $20,000 for legal fees.
What People Are Saying
A spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection told Newsweek in a June 25 email: "Possessing a green card is a privilege, not a right; and under our nation's laws, our government has the authority to revoke a green card if our laws are broken and abused. In addition to immigration removal proceedings, lawful permanent residents presenting at a U.S. port of entry with previous criminal convictions may be subject to mandatory detention."
Carina Mejia, Avila's daughter, told local ABC 10 News: "He's a productive member of society. It was a nonviolent offense. He's paid his dues. Detaining him is very unjust...I want my dad back. I want my dad home."
The GoFundMe states: "He is being held by ICE for a past nonviolent offense that occurred in 2009. Victor successfully completed his sentence, and that offense was deemed a misdemeanor. Now, many years later, he is caught in a legal nightmare which has resulted in detainment by ICE with no release in sight."
What Happens Next
Avila is scheduled to appear for a deportation hearing July 15 at a detention facility near Bakersfield.
Update 6/25/25, 7:55 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with CBP's statement.
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