The recent detention and deportation of the parents of three young children here in Fullerton has raised significant concerns within the local community. The incident was reported in the Early February Fullerton Observer.

At the time, there was uncertainty about the children’s safety; therefore, all parties’ names were withheld.
The Observer asked Fr. Dennis Kriz, pastor of St. Philip Benizi Catholic Church, for an update on the well-being of the family.

“The parents’ names were José and Gloria Gomez. The story was told to me by a parishioner who was their neighbor. The parishioner came to church on Thursday, January 30, quite upset, saying that ICE had taken the mother, Gloria, at about 6pm the previous evening from Gloria’s home, leaving three children, 5, 7, and 9, with their aunt Rosa.

“Gloria’s husband, José, had been picked up quite randomly by ICE as he was leaving the Food4Less grocery store on Orangethorpe and Euclid in Fullerton on Tuesday or Wednesday, January 21 or 22. The agents were asking for and checking IDs of people who looked like they could be undocumented. José argued with them a bit but then gave them a false ID, which was taken away.

“By the time I had been talking to the parishioner reporting the story to me on the 30th, José had already been deported back to Michoacán. The concern was about the whereabouts of the mother, Gloria.

“She resurfaced again in Michoacán a few days later. In the meantime, the aunt took the three little children to Tijuana and put them on a plane to Michoacán, where they were reunited with their parents. Jose has already taken on a job in construction back in Michoacán.

“The Gomez family appears to be doing well. However, the family has endured significant losses. It is unclear whether they rented or owned their home; the family left behind their belongings and the community they had built in Fullerton.

“Since the parents were summarily deported without trial, we who watched this happen are left again without any idea as to why this happened.

“All we see is that a family that once quietly lived here in Fullerton with three small children is now gone.”