A single father of six was deported to Mexico last month after spending more than three decades living in the United States, according to his attorney.
Rosalio Vasquez Meave was arrested on September 15 while taking his children to school, his lawyer, Michelle Edstrom, said. She explained that an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vehicle pulled him over during the school drop-off and took him into custody. All six of his children are U.S. citizens, and Edstrom said Vasquez Meave was their sole caregiver at the time of his arrest. He also held a valid work permit and driver’s license.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Tricia McLaughlin, confirmed the arrest and said Vasquez Meave was later deported after ICE reinstated a prior removal order.
Why It Matters
Immigration enforcement has been a central focus of President Donald Trump’s administration. On December 10, DHS announced that enforcement operations had resulted in more than 605,000 deportations since January 20. The agency also said that 1.9 million people have voluntarily self-deported since January 2025.
What to Know
Edstrom said Vasquez Meave applied in 2023 for a visa under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The law allows certain noncitizens—including men and parents of U.S. citizen children—to seek legal status if they or their children have experienced abuse, neglect, or abandonment.
According to Edstrom, Vasquez Meave had received a “prima facie determination” on his VAWA petition, meaning his application had been initially accepted and was awaiting final adjudication.
“He was the only caretaker of the children when he dropped them off at school that day,” Edstrom said. “He had valid work authorization, a valid driver’s license, and was following the legal process.”
Vasquez Meave first entered the U.S. as a teenager in 1990, Edstrom said. After leaving the country in 1999, he attempted to return in 2000 with what he believed was valid work visa documentation obtained in Ciudad Juárez. He was arrested at the border and removed to Mexico.
McLaughlin said Vasquez Meave illegally reentered the U.S. at an unknown date following that removal. Edstrom said he had remained in the country since 2000, working as a self-employed painter and construction worker, owning a home in Oklahoma, and maintaining strong community and family ties.
“He was trying to do everything the right way,” Edstrom said. “They picked him up anyway.”
Health and Family Impact
Edstrom said Vasquez Meave remained in custody until his deportation last month and went without medication for high blood pressure and anxiety for more than two weeks.
“He was not feeling well at all,” she said, adding that the stress of separation from his children, combined with the lack of medication, took a serious toll on his health.
After his deportation, Vasquez Meave’s children later reunited with him in Mexico with help from an elderly family friend who temporarily cared for them.
McLaughlin said that pending immigration applications do not grant legal status and that Vasquez Meave did not request to have his children removed with him.
“ICE does not separate families,” she said. “Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children, or ICE will place the children with a safe person the parent designates. Parents can also manage their departure through the CBP Home app and pursue legal reentry.”
Edstrom disputed that account, saying her client was not given the option to travel with his children.
What People Are Saying
Edstrom said her client was not a criminal or a flight risk.
“He was taking his children to school. He was filing his tax returns. He had valid work authorization and a driver’s license,” she said. “There was no reason to separate him from his children and deport him the way they did.”
McLaughlin said Vasquez Meave “received full due process.”
What Happens Next
Edstrom said efforts are ongoing to secure congressional assistance to help advance Vasquez Meave’s VAWA petition.
