Lopez Benitez

Lopez Benitez is a Paraguayan migrant who crossed the southern border of the United States in May 2023. After being briefly detained by border patrol agents in Arizona, he was released while his deportation case progressed. Living in Queens, New York, with his two American citizen sisters, Lopez Benitez worked in construction and had no criminal record. He regularly attended immigration court hearings related to his asylum application, seeking legal protection from returning to his home country. His case gained media attention when he was unexpectedly detained during a court appearance despite his compliance with the legal process.