Family members of 20-year-old Pascual Leonardo Pedro-Pedro met with staffers for U.S. lawmakers representing Iowa on Thursday, calling for his return to the States. DAVENPORT, Iowa — Protesters across eastern Iowa united as one after losing a neighbor. Quad Cities residents supported nearly 80 people traveling from West Liberty and Iowa City, pushing for the return of Pascual Leonardo Pedro-Pedro. The 20-year-old's family said he was sent back to Guatemala on July 8 after being detained at a routine check-in with immigrant officials a week earlier. "My family is absolutely devastated. We were not expecting this and we've just been hit with a rock on our heads," Francisco Pedro, Pascual's grandfather, said. The young man is back in the same country he fled with his father when he was 13. His grandfather said they were left in the dark for days until a phone call from Guatemala City came in. "When we talked with him, it was like having him back with us. We always have good communication with him. It's always been happy and positive," Francisco said. Looking to have their family reunited, Fransico and others scheduled a meeting with Republican Sens. Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley, as well as Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks. The meeting was closed off to the press, though we're told they spoke with staff members instead. While Francisco feels their frustrations fell on deaf ears, he said he's grateful to everyone who has rallied behind Pascual. "At the beginning, we thought we were alone in this. But then we saw the community coming together. The organizations jumping in the same bus, and now we realize we're not alone. We're in this together," Francisco said. Pascual's close ones said they'll follow up with the elected officials' office in Washington to make sure their voices were heard.