Minnesota family reunited after parents were separated from daughters for weeks
Weeks after three sisters say their parents were taken by federal immigration agents while on their way to work in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, the family is reunited.
"Our parents were working with immigration officers for their residency, to get their residency and they were in the process of doing that. By the way, they paid thousands of dollars for this stuff. And five days before they got detained, our dad sent us the case number that they got approved, so they get process of naturalization," Cecilia Sosa Silva explained on Jan. 18.
Her parents are now home, but for the tight family, even happiness is complicated.
"I am just confused because this was so wrong – and how they went about it was so wrong," Sosa Silva said.
The couple was pulled over three weeks ago, on their way to work; they own a custodial company. Sosa Silva says they had their papers proving they were in the process of becoming residents. They did not have criminal records, according to a records request.
Sosa Silva says her parents are not the worst of the worst.
"I am like, that's not true, my parents are good people, pay taxes, are good civilians, are not criminals," she said.
They ended up in separate parts of the El Paso detention center. Sosa Silva says they were treated fairly with food and shelter, but quarters were tight.
"I think my Mom said at one time there was 30 people in one room, and so they didn't have a lot of beds either, so most of them had to sleep on the floor," she said.
After a few weeks, they were sent to Sherburne County and after the sister worked furiously with lawyers, they got out on bond.
"All the sudden, she was in front of us ... we could finally breathe. Lots of tears and sadness and hope that things can get better," Sosa Silva said, adding that her and her sisters can finally sleep. "We did do it and I am happy that they are back."
Sosa Silva says both of her parents lost 15 pounds. As soon as they got home, they had a huge Mexican meal.
The couple does not have immunity, so they've been told by ICE to stay home.