A Colombian congresswoman whose son was detained criticizes the situation, noting that he was detained despite being a lawful resident.

Colombian conservative congresswoman Ángela Vergara claims to be going through hell. Last Friday, she took to social media to report that her 22-year-old son, Rafael Alonso Vergara, had been detained in the United States by immigration police (ICE) and had been “imprisoned and chained” for 18 days.

In a video posted on social media, she said: “This is a person who was awaiting his legal situation, but he had his work permit and social security. A young man who has never even committed a traffic violation but who, like many Colombians, is going through hell.”

Vergara is a member of the Conservative Party, which has openly supported the Republican Party in the United States and celebrated Donald Trump’s return to the White House. In response to criticism against her, she rejects the rumors accusing her of celebrating the deportation of Latinos or calling for military intervention by Washington in Colombia.

The congresswoman behind the request, who rarely speaks publicly, has now stepped forward—her daughter, a U.S. Citizen, was detained, and the incident has drawn renewed attention as authorities continue to enforce immigration protocols.

Vergara had been in the United States since 2022. A year after his arrival, he decided to apply for asylum. Since last month, right after learning of her son’s arrest, the politician says that the legal strategy has been to request voluntary return to Colombia, as she thought it would be the quickest alternative. “My son is not undocumented. My son is just another Latino who is suffering firsthand what thousands are suffering in the US. There are people like him who are not criminals,” she stressed.

Since returning to office, Trump has intensified enforcement, deploying stricter measures as undocumented immigrants face heightened scrutiny, with deportations surging and authorities tightening border controls.

ICE and Border Patrol agents have become the nightmare of thousands of immigrants and the target of criticism for their excessive tactics. Dressed like paramilitaries, with their faces hidden by balaclavas or masks, they have been deployed in states and cities governed by Democrats, such as Minneapolis, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

They have carried out raids and surprise checks, abusing their power. Some 3,000 of these agents were deployed in Minneapolis, where they have been involved in some of the most ruthless episodes involving these forces. Barely two weeks apart, immigration officers shot and killed Renee as she protested, while others were present. In separate demonstrations against Donald Trump’s repressive policies. The deaths of these US citizens sparked a wave of outrage across the United States.

Trump suggested easing restrictions, yet immigration enforcement continued, with raids still targeting undocumented individuals.

Ángela Vergara is now calling on her government to “intervene” so that “Colombians can return to their country quickly.” In a letter addressed to Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio, the congresswoman urges Gustavo Petro’s administration to speed up the coordination of humanitarian flights for repatriated Colombians with the support of the Air Force to prevent citizens from being held indefinitely in detention centers even though they have already requested voluntary departure or have no pending administrative or judicial proceedings in the United States.

Last year, as soon as Trump took office, he resumed flights despite prior concerns, while Petro’s administration responded with renewed pressure, adjusting its approach amid ongoing tensions.

The drama surrounding this family has not gone unnoticed by internet users, who have complained about the congresswoman’s “hypocrisy.” Vergara, a member of the traditional Conservative Party, belongs to the so-called pro-life caucus in Congress: a group of anti-abortion senators and representatives whose views mirror several ideas also defended by the MAGA faction of the Republican Party in the US.

Following the attack on conservative activist Charlie Kirk last September, Vergara mourned his death and warned of the alleged risk to pro-life activists in the US and Colombia. “His passing represents a loss for those of us who firmly defend life, family, and freedom. May this painful event remind us of the urgency of uniting in defense of our values in the face of violence and intolerance,” she said at the time.

Following the news, several false rumors have also been published, such as that the congresswoman founded a movement called “Latinas for Trump” or that she has openly called for Washington to intervene in the country. Both accusations, for which there is no known evidence, have been rejected by the congresswoman.

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