Family Separation 2.0: An Update

Hey, it's Michael. All this week, The. Daily is revisiting some of our favorite. episodes of the year, listening back and. hearing what's happened in the time. since they first ran. Today, we return. to the subject of President Trump's. broad and historic crackdown on. immigration. To reach his promised deportation. numbers, Trump increasingly sought to. deport those without a criminal record. Those who came to the US decades ago and. who have established lives, careers, and.

family in this country. Daily producer. Jessica Chung told the story of one such. man who was detained this year through. the eyes of his daughter. It's Tuesday, December 30th. So, I was in class. I was. about to turn in all my work to the. teacher. So, I was already starting to. pack up my things slowly and I got a. call from my mom. [music]. She seemed very down. And she was like,

it's like when you hear somebody, they're trying not to cry, but like. they're really like holding it in. [music]. And I could hear in her voice, and. that's when I started to get a little. bit worried. and she told me that like. your father got detained. and it's just like you just start. envisioning the worst like he's in this. terrible place. This is a hardworking. man. No criminal record. Like you guys. just took him. [music].

I first spoke to Isa back in February. This was a month into the Trump. administration which had promised quick. and mass deportations. I was calling immigration lawyers around. the country trying to get a sense of who. exactly was getting targeted for. deportation and how ICE was finding. them. And that's when a lawyer called me. back saying you got to talk to Isa. >> Hello. >> Hi. >> Hi. So, this is Jessica. This is Aya. She's Fabrico's 20year-old daughter.

>> Okay, great. Nice to meet you. >> Nice to meet you, too. My name is Isa. Gomez. Right now, Isa is a sophomore at. Wentworth Institute of Technology in. Massachusetts where she's studying. architecture and interior design. She. was raised in a town called SUS just. outside Boston where days before we had. talked, her dad was detained by ICE. officers. Tell me a little bit about. your dad. What is his name? How old is. he? And what does he do?

>> My dad, he's Fabricio Gomez. He is 47. years old and he works at a construction. company of his own. >> Isa told me in 2001 her dad had settled. here in Massachusetts as an undocumented. immigrant. He'd come here from Brazil. This was 3 years before Isa was born. Um, tell me about why he left Brazil. >> Sorry, I'm just asking like these. questions for my mom. the America.

>> So, um, my mom said it was due to the. violence down there and like he couldn't. make a living for himself, let alone. have a family down there. >> When he first got here, he lived with. his aunt who was already here. But. eventually, he met Isa's mom who was. also from Brazil. >> They actually walked into each other and. they were like, "Oh my god, like I. remember you, blah, blah, blah.". >> And they moved out on their own with. money Friio made by working in. construction. So he had been working.

like small jobs almost like a handyman. And then he met somebody which is my. dad's old boss that [music] still. remains in our life, Ken. And he slowly. taught my dad how to [music]. work. It went from like changing door. panels, windows to [music]. fixing inside the house and then it went. to roofing until he gathered up all his.

knowledge that he had and then that's. when he decided that he was ready to. open his company and start creating a. life for himself and our family. >> And is your sense that [music] he loves. his job? >> Yes, my dad is actually very passionate. for his job. You would think he wouldn't. be because you're constantly going up a. ladder. It's so cold since we live in. Massachusetts. and it's really a hard job. [music]. >> Even though he wasn't fluent in English, >> he had this way of connecting with.

people. >> My dad, he's always talked to his. clients like he knew them for so long. I. don't know how he talks to them like. everybody understands him. >> For as long as she can remember, I. wanted to be just like him. [music] As a. little kid, I was like my dad's kind of. tomboy. I'd always buy construction. little kids kit and I would always go. around the house with like plastic. [music] toys. Me and my dad are the type of person. where we take something that is not good.

and we reform it. When something's not. designed properly, it just feels down. And when you reform it, it brings. another life. It sounds like you and. your dad shared a special bond over your. love of building things. >> Yes, I always wanted to work with my. dad, which is why I went to college for. architecture and interior design, so. eventually in the future I could work. with my dad's company. >> Isa says her dream is that her dad's.

company becomes a family company with. her. His dream was always for us to go. to college and pursue something that we. have passion for because they weren't. able to choose their own path. You're. not born saying, "I'm going to clean. toilets. I'm going to be a contractor.". You're born thinking like, "I want to be. a businesswoman. I want to have my own. company. I want to have my own home.". And it's just like that's what their. main goal for us was that we're able to. choose our own path. My dad, he's always. been the person to tell us work hard.

Nothing's gifted. Nothing's handed. Go. after it. >> So, fast forward to today. The dream. that you described your dad having for. you guys was in progress. Like, you're. in college. Your dad is working hard at. a business that he owns. When Trump was. inaugurated on January 20th, did your. family have conversations about what. precautions you guys would take given. that he was aggressively pursuing people.

without documentation. >> I would always ask my dad like, "Should. we worry?" And he'd always tell us like, "No, like there's don't worry." As much. as obviously when I'm alone, you always. have that thought in the back of your. mind like what am I going to do? What if. things go down? >> Fabricio had no criminal record and he. didn't want to hide from law. enforcement. He wanted to do things the. right way. He's had a pending. application for a visa. In the meantime,

he's been checking in with ICE. He's. been doing that for 12 years. In. February, just one month after Trump's. inauguration, he was due for another. check-in. So he just shows up for his. yearly check-in and you go there, you. represent yourself, talk about whatever. is being asked, and that was about it. [music]. And so her dad shows up to his check-in. like he always does. And it was soon.

[music] after that that her mom called. her in class, notifying Isla that her. dad had been detained. >> I was [music] hyperventilating. I felt. like my heart just left my chest. I think about him being there. I think. about him being in this close-up space. So, I worry a lot at night. Like, what. if he's panicking and we don't know? What if he's holding strong, but [music].

he's actually having the hardest time of. his life? Like, that's what constantly. replays in my head. [music]. So, it just felt like my whole heart got. ripped out of my chest because I never. got to really say a proper goodbye, like. I'll see you later. [music]. [music]. >> We'll be right back.

Isa's dad was detained on February 26th. He was taken to the Plymouth County. Correctional Facility about an hour's. drive away from their home. Eventually, Isa was able to reach him on the phone. >> I'll give it to my dad. From the first. day that he called us to speak to us, that man has holding strong. He has the. most positive energy and so positive. that he will see us and things will go. back to not normal because I don't feel.

like anybody could really treat life as. normal after this situation, but. definitely better. Isa's dad told her to. hold strong, too. He said the detention. center wasn't so bad. He told her he'd. gotten a job cleaning, which allowed. more time outside of his cell. He. started a Bible study with a group of. other detainees. >> and he was allowed visitors. >> I'm the only one eligible to visit. because I'm over 18, but he told me like. as much as I would love to see you guys. so much, just don't come here because.

this is not the person that I am and it. would hurt to see you get up from that. chair and turn your back and have to. leave. But as the days in custody turn into. weeks, the two of them adapted to a new. version of the relationship. No visits. >> They talk on the phone a lot as often as. five times a day. >> We open every conversation like.

he was here with us. Like I'm walking. into the house saying hi to him. Ba. Hi. dad. How are you? I missed you. We. continue life's how it is on the phone. I gave him updates on my grades. I gave. him updates on my finals. Well, I can't. show to him my projects since they're. all like online based cuz they're all. like floor plans, stuff like that. But I. like give him the visual analysis.

[music]. These calls went on for two months and. then in April, Isla learned of two major. developments. First, ICE was going to. enforce an order of removal against her. dad, which meant he could be deported. immediately. Second, ICE was moving him over 1,600 m. to a notorious detention center in. Louisiana, which had been investigated. by the Department of Homeland Security.

for alleged abuses. Isa says her dad's. new detention center in Pine Perry, Louisiana, is nothing like the one in. Plymouth. >> It's quite literally a prison where. people that actually committed real. crimes would be in. Like he's in a jail. cell where it's just like 10 times. worse. >> Things feel different. >> She senses that the brave face her dad. had put on is starting to crack. >> I don't want to say he's in full panic, but he's really feeling it. Even so on.

the phone like I can hear himself let. go. >> And this change in mood is starting to. have an impact on Isa too. There's. something wrong. My anxiety has been. over the roof. It just feels like it's. so hard to get through your day. It's so. hard. Like. >> you cannot tell me they'll be taking my. dad and he will be in Brazil for the. next 10 years up until we can reapply.

for him to come. Like that does not. cross my mind. >> Oh man. Would you ever consider moving. to Brazil to be with your dad if it came. to that? >> As much as I would love to stay here and. be like, "Yeah, my family is going to. reunite in Brazil." It can't be a plan. due to the fact that my parents have. worked way too damn hard. too many years. of their damn life to come here. >> I will be continuing college. And if. anything, I will be continuing their. success times that by 100. I refuse to.

believe that they'll be throwing that. away. And if I can even continue my. dad's company to keep going and get. other people to manage it, I will be. continuing to making their name. It's. one thing to take. >> my dad away from me. It's another to. take everything that they worked hard. for. I wanted to ask, you know, what do you. make of the fact that for a lot of. Americans, your father's story, while. sympathetic, might at the end of the day. feel like, yeah, he ultimately was here,

not legally. What would you say to those. people who might agree with the. administration's policies to remove. people like your dad who don't have. documentation here? I'd get it if you're. talking about a murderer that doesn't. belong here and he's just out running on. the street or I'd get that. But if. you're okay with separating families. because they're just simply immigrants, that's a battle you're dealing within. yourself. If they're hearing my story. specifically, I hope they hear that and.

that they try to picture one of their. daughters sitting here and having to. talk about their one of their parents. like this because somebody out there is. wishing that on somebody else. And I. just really want them to picture that. You mentioned you spent most of your. life envisioning a future with your dad. and going into business with your dad. Given everything that's happened, what. is that dream now? >> Um, as of right now, there's like no.

dream, no goal. It's just like, okay, well, my dream is to kind of just be. able to push through this. >> Have you dreamt about reuniting with. your dad, on the other hand? That's been. my little Idel dream since February. 26th. [snorts] Just me getting that call. of being told, "Go pick up your dad.". [music] And all I could think of is me. just like parking my car, getting out my.

car. [music]. He's standing outside like quite. literally the same exact person he left. like in his work clothes just the way he. is with his face like his regular face. >> M like no time had passed. >> No. Like literally no time has passed. but it feels like life spent upside. down. >> Yeah. [music]. >> And just hugging my dad and all I could. literally do is cry. like cry my literal.

heart out. Like everything that I've. been holding in like within these two. [snorts] months is that's exactly how I. see. [music] It just feels like it's. going to happen and it's all I think. about. That's all I can envision like. over and over again every single day. that I wake up. And it's just me. Like. it's not like my mom's around, my. sister's around. It's just like me and. my dad.

>> [music]. >> Isa never got the call to pick up her. dad. Instead, a few days after we had. talked, she received news that her dad. [music] had been deported from the US to. Brazil. So, Isla packed a small suitcase for. herself [music] and a bigger one for her. dad, and she booked a ticket for one to. Brazil. And on Tuesday morning at the. arrivals terminal in Bella Orizanchi. airport, Isa [music] finally got to be with her. dad.

After [music] the break, senior producer. Jessica Chong on what happened after Isa. reunited with her father. Once you go through all the tunnel and. everything, it's literally like a. storefront door, like a sliding door. It. just slides and like there behind that. door. And I literally see him like. standing in front of the door. I gave.

him a big hug. Like I missed him so. much. It was so shocking. It's just. like, what am I doing in Brazil? That. was like such a weird moment where it's. just like I'm so happy to see him, but. I'm in shock. I'm like, what are we. doing here? I guess this is it. Like, this is how things are for now. >> I guess that the feeling you're. describing is that you don't feel like. you belong there in Brazil. >> Yeah. >> Relationship wise and treating each.

other completely normal. >> Mhm. >> For me, it was definitely that feeling. of like every day that I would wake up, it would be so weird. It's like it's hot. there. It's tropical. I don't belong here. I don't belong. here. This is not where my dad's. supposed to be. This is not where I'm. supposed to be waking up. And like time. to see my dad adjust there too is very. weird to me. [snorts].

It feels like he's like on a like. vacation that there's no end date to. M is there specific things you saw that. like triggered you into thinking I'm not. supposed to be here? Is it like the. smell of I don't know the air? >> Seeing it was actually like seeing. things seeing my dad with his brothers. I've never seen that a day in my life.

cuz he has four of them actually. >> was very weird to me and I couldn't like. grasp it. They're just talking. they. have like so much to catch up on within. years. And it's not that he doesn't. belong obviously that's his family but. like that is you know not his family. family like we're his family like his. future wives here. [music]. >> So seeing my dad like sitting there with. the past as if they're little and you. know the present is somewhere else. It.

literally feels like he's catching up on. the past and in [music] my opinion not. going anywhere. You mentioned that you wanted when we. last talked to work with your dad and. that the dream was to start a company to. design and build places and I guess I. wonder if that's still the plan. If you. feel like that dream is still possible. in some way. >> I definitely feel like the dream is. powerful. There is change of plans.

unfortunately. >> Mhm. >> But that doesn't mean I can't continue. his legacy. And my dad definitely didn't. come here for I believe 20 or 24 years. of his life here. Build all this and. give up. It's a little crazy to say, but that. actually made me a little bit more. determined. Like it makes me work harder. because [music] he's not here.

I do co-ops. I work full-time. you know, ever since [music] life took a big turn. financial wise. So, I'm always. constantly working when I'm not in. school. It It's a very busy life. I just. work. >> I just work and go to school. And the. cycle repeats every single day. [music] I kind of took this as a sign of. like I need to get up and kind of do my. own thing, build my life. I [music].

can't depend on my parents like they're. always there for moral support. Phone. call away, but I need to grow up. I put my foot on the ground and say, "Well, I got to make the best of it.". Today's episode was reported [music] and. produced by Jessica Chung. It was edited. by Michael Benois and Jodie Becker.

[music] with help from Ben Calhoun. It. was fact checked by Susan Lee, [music]. contains music by Dan Powell, Pat. McCusker, Alicia, Will Reed, and Marian. Lozano, [music]. and was engineered by Alyssa Moxley, Rowan Yamisto, and Chris Wood. That's [music] it for the daily. I'm. Michael Bubaro. See you tomorrow.