A Texas Marine veteran detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for nearly a week describes the experience as a tumultuous “roller coaster.”
Julio Torres recounted being detained at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport upon returning from a trip to Mexico with his wife late last week. Agents informed him that it was due to an old drug charge for which he had already served time, and also cited a failure to request re-entry permission using his Green Card.
“When I arrived at the non-citizens customs line, I was flagged and directed to secondary inspection,” Torres explained. “They extensively reviewed my record, and after several hours—six hours to be exact—I contacted my wife to inform her they were not allowing me to leave.”
Torres, who serves as a chaplain for the Rusk Police Department, spent six days in an ICE detention center in Alvarado before his release.
“The Rusk County Sheriff’s Office also sent a letter in support of my release to immigration agents,” Torres mentioned.
He recalled a pivotal moment during his detention when proof of his veteran status played a crucial role in his release: “An agent asked if I was a veteran, and within minutes of my wife emailing my DD 214, I was set free.”
Expressing gratitude to the community, his family, and his faith for support during the ordeal, Torres expressed lingering concerns.
“Everything I’ve achieved—from being homeless to building a life through hard work and integrity—felt uncertain and frightening when it was suddenly in jeopardy,” Torres said emotionally. “Being stripped of everything I had worked for, not knowing if I would ever get it back, was terrifying.”
NBC 5 reached out to ICE and DFW Airport for comment on Torres’ detention but had not received a response at the time of reporting.
“They took away my ID and passport. I was released with nothing,” Torres added. “It feels like I’m in limbo, waiting for answers.”
