A six-year-old girl was found wandering her Morristown, New Jersey neighborhood in tears after her father was taken into custody by federal immigration agents during an enforcement sweep, according to her family.
Adonay Mancia Rodríguez was detained Sunday, January 11, near his home as part of what the Department of Homeland Security said was a routine immigration operation. His partner, Gabby Rosa, told reporters that Rodríguez had briefly stepped out to pick up food from a nearby restaurant, leaving their daughter, Annabella, inside the apartment — and did not return.
Rosa said she was working a shift at a local Walmart when a neighbor began calling urgently. The neighbor, she said, had spotted Annabella walking alone outside, crying and calling for her father.
“She told me she’d seen my daughter, walking by herself on the street, crying, crying out for her dad, asking, ‘Where’s Papi? Where’s Papi?’” Rosa told NJ.com.
Rosa said she rushed home to care for her daughter and later that day saw video circulating on social media showing Rodríguez and others being detained during the same operation.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin confirmed that ICE agents apprehended 11 individuals in Morristown during the action. McLaughlin alleged those detained were in the country illegally and said some face felony charges. She added that all 11 remained in custody and were either in removal proceedings or being deported “in accordance with U.S. immigration law.”
Rosa has said on Facebook that Rodríguez fled gang violence in Honduras and came to Morristown to reunite with relatives, adding that he has no criminal history.
A GoFundMe created by a family member to help cover legal expenses says Rodríguez arrived in the U.S. at age 16 seeking refuge and has lived and worked in Morristown for more than a decade. By Friday afternoon, the fundraiser had drawn more than $23,000 toward a $26,000 goal. The page describes a family in crisis — particularly his young daughter.
“He has a huge family here that is devastated, but most of all is his daughter, who is inconsolable,” the GoFundMe states. “They are very close and all she wants is to have him back.”
Morristown Mayor Timothy Dougherty said this week that local officials were not notified in advance and did not assist with the operation. He stated the enforcement action occurred at a neighborhood laundromat and nearby businesses. In a separate video message, Dougherty urged immigration attorneys to provide free legal support to community members detained during the sweep.
