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A Bay Shore family is fighting to bring a father home after his detention by federal immigration authorities, while a wave of community support is helping them weather their uncertain future.
Alex Umanzor, 45, was taken into custody last week by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at a Walmart in Suffolk County. He is currently being held at Delaney Hall Detention Facility in New Jersey, according to ICE records online.
Umanzor first moved to the United States over 20 years, his family said. The construction worker’s eldest child Allen, 21, described him as a devoted husband and father who provides for his four children.
Allen Umanzor said his younger brother, Jay, 19, is serving in the U.S. Navy and stationed in Antarctica, while two younger sisters, Zoe, 10, and 2-year-old Hannely, 2, remain at home.
“Basically, yeah, I have to step up,” Allen Umanzor told Greater Long Island, describing the sudden responsibility of helping care for his siblings while their father is detained.
Allen Umanzor said his dad was taken into ICE custody on Feb. 16 while on a routine outing with his wife.
“It was just a normal day,” he said, describing his dad and step-mother’s shopping trip to Walmart. “They pulled him over for no reason. My dad doesn’t have any tickets. He’s never been pulled over.”
Greater Long Island has contacted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Office of Public Affairs for more information on Umanzor’s detention status and will update this story when a response is received.
Alex Umanzor has tried to resolve his immigration status through legal channels but has encountered obstacles, his son said.
Umanzor’s detention has forced the family to make major adjustments, including plans to move temporarily to Maryland to stay with extended family while handling expenses. Allen Umanzor said the family cannot afford to maintain their Bay Shore home and that he plans to take over his father’s car payments.
Even as they fight to bring Umanzor home, the family faces the difficult reality that legal options may be limited and will likely be costly. Allen Umanzor said a voluntary return to Honduras could be his father’s only viable option.
“The best choice for him would probably be to voluntarily leave — to sign the papers and go to Honduras,” he said. “Just the whole process to fight the case and pay for all the lawyers … We just won’t be able to afford it.”
Son able to see dad
During his father’s detention, the Umanzors have received an outpouring of support. Nearly 100 donations — totaling almost $7,000 — have been raised through a GoFundMe page established by Umanzor’s cousin, Diego Granados. The contributions are helping cover legal fees and daily expenses.
Allen Umanzor described his father as “a funny, goofy guy.”
“He’s serious but loves to play around,” the Allen Umanzor continued. “He’s always supported his family and the people relying on him for support.”
Allen Umanzor said he was able to visit his father for about an hour last Thursday at the detention facility.
“He said he was doing fine, just stressed and worried,” the son said. “He spoke highly of the correction officers there … but obviously he doesn’t want to be there.”
The family has also been able to speak with Umanzor by phone.
Allen Umanzor said the conversations help keep the family connected, even as they face the possibility of a voluntary return to Honduras.
“This is not just about paperwork. This is about a father coming home. This is about children who cry at night not knowing when they will see their dad again,” Granados wrote on the GoFundMe page. “This is about a family trying to stay strong while their world feels like it’s falling apart.”
Top: Alex Umanzor (at right) with his wife and four children (courtesy photo).
