Gabriela Lozano Sousa, a Venezuelan humanitarian parole recipient, has been held in ICE detention in Florida for 7 months without bond, despite entering the United States legally and having no criminal convictions. 

Her case raises serious questions about how ICE is classifying parolees and the fairness of the legal system — and now, her U.S. citizen husband may be forced to leave the country with her just to keep the family together. 

Background:  Gabriela entered the U.S. legally in 2023 under the Biden administration’s humanitarian parole program for Venezuelans fleeing crisis. 

She married a U.S. citizen just two days before her parole expired in April 2025 and began preparing to file for Adjustment of Status based on the marriage.  In October 2025, Gabriela and her husband were arrested following a minor domestic dispute after a neighbor called the police. No physical violence occurred, and the Broward County State Attorney declined to file charges. 

However, ICE had already placed a detainer on her, and she was transferred into federal custody the day after the criminal case was dismissed. Gabriela has now been detained for months at Baker County Jail in Jacksonville, Florida, without access to a bond hearing. 

Detention Conditions According to court filings and her husband’s account:  She was held for four days at the Miramar ERO office without access to a bed or shower. She was denied her asthma medication even though it was delivered. 

She was repeatedly transferred between facilities in 72-hour intervals, a practice challenged in multiple legal filings as a way ICE rotates detainees to avoid time limits without charges. 

Legal Battle: ICE classified Gabriela as an “arriving alien”, placing her under mandatory detention instead of discretionary detention, which would allow a bond hearing. Her attorneys filed a federal habeas petition arguing she should not be subject to mandatory detention because she entered lawfully and was not apprehended at the border. 

The case is assigned to Judge Jordan E. Pratt, a Trump-appointed federal judge, who has adopted a minority interpretation of the law, ruling against the majority of judges in the same district and blocking Gabriela from a bond hearing. 

Meanwhile, the Immigration Judge has refused any further continuances, pushing the family toward voluntary departure. 

Forced Departure Looming: If Gabriela is forced to leave, she faces a 10-year reentry bar. 

Voluntary departure reduces it to three years, but would require the family to leave the U.S. together, likely relocating to Colombia, where her husband has never lived and does not speak Spanish fluently. 

The family believes that if Gabriela had been properly classified under §1226, she could have continued her immigration case while released, instead of being trapped in detention. 

Why We Need Your Help? 

 This prolonged detention has placed enormous emotional and financial strain on the family. Your donations will help cover: Legal fees fighting ICE and federal habeas proceedings Court and filing costs Travel and relocation expenses if forced to leave the U.S. Daily living expenses while Gabriela is detained. 

- Every donation brings Gabriela closer to freedom, justice, and staying with her family. Your support matters — please donate, share, and help spread the word

We just want the chance to stay together as a family