Barranco’s deportation case ended in immigration court after a judge dismissed it, saying he had shown he qualifies to seek lawful status through his children who are serving in the U.S. military. Judge Kristin S. Piepmeier issued an order dated Jan. 28 terminating the proceedings, according to the Associated Press. The decision came after Barranco was detained last year following his arrest in Southern California, a moment that drew attention amid increased immigration enforcement.
The case centered on whether Barranco, who came to the U.S. from Mexico in the 1990s and had no legal status, could pursue immigration relief based on his family ties. In the Jan. 28 order, Piepmeier said Barranco provided evidence that he was the father of three U.S.-born sons serving in the military, making him eligible to pursue lawful status, AP reported.
Barranco, 49, was arrested in Santa Ana, a city in Orange County, AP said. Witnesses uploaded videos of the arrest, and AP described federal agents pinning him to the ground outside an IHOP restaurant while he was clearing weeds. AP reported that he was taken to a Los Angeles detention center and placed in deportation proceedings.
In July, Barranco was released on a $3,000 bond and ordered to wear an ankle monitor, according to AP. The judge’s order terminating the deportation case followed that period in which Barranco remained under immigration supervision.
After the decision, Barranco told AP in a phone interview in Spanish, saying, “I feel happy” and “Thank God I don’t have that weight on top of me.” AP reported that he said he was still staying mostly at home and not taking chances going out until his legal paperwork is finalized.
Barranco’s lawyer, Lisa Ramirez, said Thursday that immigration officers removed his ankle monitor and discontinued check-ins, and she described the apprehension as traumatic. She said in an interview with AP, “The aggressive nature of the apprehension, it was traumatic,” and that “Mr. Barranco has had zero criminal history,” adding, “They came after him because he was a brown gardener in the streets of Santa Ana.”
Ramirez said Barranco has applied for Parole in Place, a program she said protects parents of U.S. military personnel from deportation and can help them obtain permanent residency. She estimated the process could take six months or more. AP also reported that Barranco’s son Alejandro told AP in June that his father did not attack anyone and had no criminal record, and that the use of force differed from his father’s military training.
The Department of Homeland Security said it would appeal Piepmeier’s decision, AP reported. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin reiterated government claims that Barranco refused to comply with commands and swung his weed trimmer at an agent, adding that the agents used the minimum force necessary to resolve the situation while prioritizing public and officer safety.