Protect U.S. Citizens from Unlawful ICE Detention in Florida


Protect U.S. Citizens from Unlawful ICE Detention in Florida
The Issue
20-year-old Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez was born in Georgia. He’s a U.S. citizen. But after a routine traffic stop while heading to work in Florida, he was arrested under the state’s new anti-immigration law—accused of being an “unauthorized alien.”
His mother rushed to court with his birth certificate and Social Security card. A Florida judge held them up to the light and confirmed they were real. She even ruled there was no probable cause for the charge. But ICE had already issued a detainer. So Juan Carlos stayed in jail overnight.
This happened after a federal judge had blocked enforcement of the very law he was arrested under. And it happened despite everyone in the courtroom agreeing that Juan Carlos is an American citizen.
This isn’t a paperwork error. It’s the dangerous result of a law that invites racial profiling, ignores due process, and puts everyday citizens at risk. If a U.S.-born man with a birth certificate can be jailed for being “illegal,” who’s safe?
We’re calling on Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, Governor Ron DeSantis, and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to launch a full investigation into this unlawful detention, revoke any ICE detainer issued in error, and immediately commit to protecting U.S. citizens from being targeted by this law.
Sign this petition if you agree no U.S. citizen should ever be jailed because of their name, language, or race. What happened to Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez must never happen again.
Photo credit: Thomas Kennedy, Florida Immigrant Coalition | NBC
150
The Issue
20-year-old Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez was born in Georgia. He’s a U.S. citizen. But after a routine traffic stop while heading to work in Florida, he was arrested under the state’s new anti-immigration law—accused of being an “unauthorized alien.”
His mother rushed to court with his birth certificate and Social Security card. A Florida judge held them up to the light and confirmed they were real. She even ruled there was no probable cause for the charge. But ICE had already issued a detainer. So Juan Carlos stayed in jail overnight.
This happened after a federal judge had blocked enforcement of the very law he was arrested under. And it happened despite everyone in the courtroom agreeing that Juan Carlos is an American citizen.
This isn’t a paperwork error. It’s the dangerous result of a law that invites racial profiling, ignores due process, and puts everyday citizens at risk. If a U.S.-born man with a birth certificate can be jailed for being “illegal,” who’s safe?
We’re calling on Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, Governor Ron DeSantis, and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to launch a full investigation into this unlawful detention, revoke any ICE detainer issued in error, and immediately commit to protecting U.S. citizens from being targeted by this law.
Sign this petition if you agree no U.S. citizen should ever be jailed because of their name, language, or race. What happened to Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez must never happen again.
Photo credit: Thomas Kennedy, Florida Immigrant Coalition | NBC
150
Supporter Voices
Share this petition
Petition created on April 18, 2025
