Stacey Fitzpatrick says adrenaline is the only thing getting her through the week, as she faces an ordeal she had prepared for, but hoped would never happen: ICE arresting her husband."I have to fight for him because they're moving fast," Fitzpatrick said. Stacey Fitzpatrick Eduardo Aguirre Esparza & Stacey Fitzpatrick on their wedding day, July 31, 2024. Her husband, Eduardo Aguirre Esparza, was arrested by ICE agents in West Seattle on July 23. The arrest, near 41st and Juneau, was recorded by several bystanders outside of the home he was working on. Cornelius Hocker A sign posted near California Ave. SW and Juneau St. in West Seattle saying "ICE abducted someone here" His wife believes ICE agents followed him from the Delridge Home Depot to the work site where he was arrested. Aguirre Esparza is an undocumented immigrant who’s been in the United States for more than 20 years. His wife says he has been in the process to become documented and has a pending green card case.Video of the arrest was shared by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray; she is demanding the Department of Homeland Security return Aguirre Esparza to Washington.DHS is pushing back against calls for Aguirre Esparza's return to Washington and release from their custody. The government agency claims Aguirre Esparza has a DUI conviction from Kansas. Fitzpatrick gave a straightforward response to this claim."He has never lived in Kansas," she said. "Honestly, he probably doesn't even know that state exists. He doesn't know geography."Fitzpatrick believes ICE may have found someone with a similar name as her husband and is using that record as justification for his detention.KUOW reviewed Aguirre Esparza's background check, provided by Fitzpatrick. There are no misdemeanor or felony convictions, just a traffic citation from 2015 that has been resolved. Sent to El PasoIn the week since his arrest, Aguirre Esparza was transferred through multiple ICE facilities in the Pacific Northwest before ultimately being flown to El Paso, Texas. During portions of those transfers, Fitzpatrick said she and Aguirre Esparza’s attorney did not know where he was being held. In a phone conversation with Fitzpatrick and Aguirre Esparza, they said he was moved through facilities in Tukwila and Tacoma before being transferred to Texas. He is now being held at ERO El Paso Camp East Montana, an ICE detention facility.From that facility, Aguirre Esparza recounted what happened after he entered ICE custody."They started to press me very hard, telling me to sign the voluntary papers to get out of the country,” Aguirre Esparza said. “I tell them I don't want to sign anything, and I say no. I have my rights and I tell them I really want to talk with my lawyer and my wife, and they say no. You have to sign the papers right now."Aguirre Esparza said officers became angry when he refused, pushing him and threatening to do more if he did not sign the paperwork. He estimated roughly 20 ICE officers took part in the effort. Despite the pressure, he never signed the documents.Now, he sits in a detention center roughly 1,700 miles from Seattle and just 16 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.Fitzpatrick, an attorney, said the couple had often discussed what to do if her husband was ever stopped by ICE. They had to talk about this because of the nature of his work as a contractor, being out and about in the community. Their plan was simple: Don't sign anything and don't answer questions without a lawyer present. He followed that advice, she said, but it did not stop ICE from transferring him to Texas. However, she believes it is why he’s still in the country.Fitzpatrick thinks moving her husband to El Paso, near the border, is an attempt to speed up his deportation proceedings. She argues immigration courts there move cases more quickly, raising concerns that he could face expedited removal before getting a full hearing on his pending green card case.Aguirre Esparza pointed to the facility's classification system as evidence that he does not have a criminal record because he’s wearing a blue wristband."Those of us with clean records are given a blue wristband,” he said. “Others get green wristbands. People who have had problems such as domestic violence, police-related offenses, or other legal issues are classified differently. They separate everyone into different rooms. Those with blue wristbands stay in one area, those with green are in another. Everyone has their assigned place.”What's nextFitzpatrick said a masters hearing to talk about the case, deadlines, etc. is supposed to take place August 6, 2026 in Seattle. However, that's up in the air for two reasons: her husband isn't appearing in the ICE system with his a-number; he has to be in person for the hearing. KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer Stacey Fitzpatrick, wife of Eduardo Aguirre Esparza, is portrayed at her home on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, in Seattle. Instead of preparing for their second wedding anniversary, July, 31, Fitzpatrick is focused on ensuring her husband gets a chance she believes he has been denied so far: The opportunity to appear before a judge and make his case.A fundraiser has been created to support Aguirre Esparza and his family. There’s also a rally planned during the West Seattle Farmers Market on Sunday, Aug. 2.