KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City man is at the center of an immigration battle. The U.S. wants to deport Gustavo De Freitas, a 22-year-old University of Missouri Kansas City student.
De Freitas came with his family to the United States from Venezuela when he was nine years old. His friends and family said De Freitas was very open with the government about his living status, even having monthly check-ins. However, on Wednesday, to his surprise, he was detained. The 4.0 college student now faces the possibility that he could be deported.
Friends and family gathered outside the Kansas City USCIS field office on Friday in an effort to prevent his deportation. De Freitas said he simply wants to be allowed to remain in the United States to finish his education.
De Freitas has found the support of the Kansas/Missouri Dream Alliance, a youth-led organization that works to educate, advocate and provide students with educational resources. They acknowledge that President Obama wishes to remove undocumented workers who have serious criminal histories and multiple immigration violations. KSMODA argues that De Freitas does not fit that description as he has a clean record and has proven to be a respectable member of his community.
Shawn Neudauer, spokesperson for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said they are looking into De Freitas case, but could not comment at this time. Neudauer said he hopes to be able to provide a statement later Friday afternoon.
