Skip to Content Subscribe FAQ My Account News Toronto & GTA Ontario Canada World Crime True Crime Weird Money Technology Tech Essentials Gaming Gadgets Weather Podcasts Opinion Editorials Columnists Editorial Cartoons Letters Send Letter to the Editor Sports Hockey PWHL Toronto Maple Leafs NHL Soccer Toronto FC MLS Baseball Toronto Blue Jays MLB Basketball Toronto Raptors NBA Football Toronto Argonauts CFL NFL Golf Other Sports Olympics Curling Tennis Horse Racing Wrestling Entertainment Celebrity Movies Music Television TV Listings Life Eat Fashion & Beauty Relationships Advice Sex Files Health Healthing Diet & Fitness Homes Travel Travel International Travel USA Travel Canada Ontario Travel Travel Essentials Savings Contests Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Toronto Sun Store Driving Vehicle Research Reviews News Gear Guide Obituaries Place an Obituary Place an In Memoriam Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place an Ad Business Card Directory Celebrations Working Business Ads This Week's Flyers ePaper SUNShine Girls Become a Sunshine Girl Puzzmo Diversions Comics Puzzles Horoscopes Newsletters Manage Print Subscription Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Opinion Sports Entertainment Life Shopping Driving Obituaries Classifieds ePaper SUNShine Girls Puzzmo Newsletters Manage Print Subscription WorldU.S. citizen held for pickup by ICE even after proving he was born in AmericaAuthor of the article:Published Apr 18, 2025 • Last updated Apr 18, 2025 • 2 minute read You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.Juan Carlos Lopez Gomez, 20, a U.S. citizen, hugs his mother in Tallahassee, Fla., after his April 17, 2025 release from jail where he was being held by federal immigration authorities. Photo by Thomas Kennedy /APMIAMI — A U.S. citizen was arrested in Florida for allegedly being in the country illegally and held for pickup by immigration authorities even after his mother showed a judge her son’s birth certificate and the judge dismissed charges.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsThe man was released after his case received widespread coverage.Recommended VideosJuan Carlos Lopez Gomez, 20, was in a car that was stopped just past the Georgia border by the Florida Highway Patrol on Wednesday, said Thomas Kennedy, a spokesperson at the Florida Immigrant Coalition. Gomez and others in the car were arrested under a new Florida law that’s on hold that makes it a crime for people who are in the country illegally to enter the state.It is unclear if Lopez Gomez showed documents proving that he’s a citizen to the arresting officers. He was held at Leon County Jail.The charge of illegal entry into Florida was dropped Thursday after his mother showed the judge his state identification card, birth certificate and Social Security card, said Kennedy, who attended the hearing. Court records show Judge Lashawn Riggans found no basis for the charge.Lopez Gomez briefly remained in custody after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement requested that he remain there for 48 hours, a common practice when the agency wants to take custody of someone. ICE did not respond to a request for comment.The case drew widespread attention because ICE is not supposed to take custody of U.S.-born citizens. While the immigration agency can occasionally get involved in cases of naturalized citizens who committed offenses such as lying on immigration forms, it has no authority over people born in the U.S. Adding to the confusion is that a federal judge had put a hold on enforcement of the Florida law against people who are in the country illegally entering the state, which meant it should not have been enforced.“No one should be arrested under that law, let alone a U.S. citizen,” said Alana Greer, an immigration attorney from the Florida Immigrant Coalition. “They saw this person, he didn’t speak English particularly well, and so they arrested him and charged him with this law that no one (should) be charged with.” Join the Conversation Sports Columnists Toronto Raptors World Crime This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. 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