The Washington, D.C.-based couple’s lives were torn apart on December 10 when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained Perez-Zuazo during what was expected to be a routine annual check-in at an ICE facility in Chantilly, Virginia.

While Blanco Gallegos is a U.S. citizen, Perez-Zuazo is undocumented. Originally from Panama, Perez-Zuazo entered the U.S. at the Texas/Mexico border in November 2021. After being processed by authorities, Perez-Zuazo was released and allowed to live with a sponsor in Washington D.C. There, he met Blanco Gallegos, and the two married in February 2024. Since then, they have pursued a Green Card for Perez-Zuazo. His I-130 petition — the first step for a U.S. citizen like Blanco Gallegos to sponsor a spouse for a Green Card — was approved.

That process came to an abrupt halt in December however, when Perez-Zuazo reported for his annual check-in with ICE. As The New York Times reported this week, under the Trump administration, federal agents have arrested thousands of people showing up for such routine immigration appointments and court hearings. Immigrant rights advocates say the tactic has effectively turned a mandatory part of the legal immigration process into a trap.