PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A Palm Beach County family is fighting for the release of their loved one from immigration detention, as the wife battles stage 3 breast cancer without her husband by her side.
Luis Travieso has been detained at "Alligator Alcatraz" in the Everglades since October. His family says he has followed immigration orders since coming to the United
States more than 50 years ago.
WATCH BELOW: Cancer, detention and deportation: One family's 'nightmare' year
While most people look forward to the new year with excitement, the Travieso family faces uncertainty and fear.
"I just can't believe that this is my reality," said Ulissa Montero, Luis' stepdaughter.
"I'm overwhelmed," Montero said. "It's just the uncertainty that we just, we don't know what's gonna happen with anything."
Cancer battle without support
Montero's mother, Maria Travieso, is currently battling stage 3 breast cancer, a fight that has been ongoing since February. She has already completed eight sessions of chemotherapy and had surgery.
Maria's husband, Luis, was fighting by her side until his detention in October.
Luis was her main support system, helping to pay for treatment and take her to radiation appointments.
Now separated from her husband during her cancer treatment, Maria describes the situation as devastating.
"It's a nightmare because he's my support, he's my husband, he's my everything," Maria said. "It's crazy because I need him a lot. I need him."
Detention conditions and deportation threat
According to his family, Luis is not only being held in poor conditions but also faces deportation to Mexico, a country he has never been to.
"It's cruel, what they're doing. ... They don't give them jackets. It's freezing. The food is cold. His toenails are touching the ground, his beard is down to his belly button. It's so inhumane," Montero said.
"We have no idea what it's like for all of them over there," she added.
Immigration history and compliance
Ulissa Montero says Luis entered the country at 3 years old in 1969 as a refugee from Cuba. She says he was accepted into the country through Freedom Flights. In 1999, he was arrested for intent to sell cocaine and served three years until he signed an order of supervision for his release.
"So for the past 23 years, he's been on the order of supervision. He reports every year to ICE to make sure that all his documents are good, that he doesn't have any warrants out for his arrest, and he's paying his taxes," Montero said.
His last check-in with immigration officials was Oct. 14. Two weeks later, Montero said he was pulled over by the Florida Highway Patrol. Montero said the reasoning was "an invalid licence."
"I believe that he was just profiled," Montero said.
Family torn apart
Since Luis' detention, the family has been struggling with mounting medical and legal fees. Maria is even preparing to leave her home to follow her husband, "I lose everything. But I don't care about that. I get him," she said.
Maria also claims she can only speak with her husband twice a day, "He told me I miss you a lot. I want to stay with you. I want to stay with you. I didn't do anything," Maria said, recounting their conversations.
Montero is left wondering what will happen to both of her parents. "Like, that's my family going to Mexico, you know what? It's just, I feel like I'm gonna lose everything. It's just scary and just not knowing what the future holds for us," she said.
The family has started a GoFundMe campaign to help cover these expenses.
Additionally, supporters have created a petition calling for justice in Luis' case.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has not responded to requests for comment, made over multiple days, about why Luis was detained despite following supervision orders for more than two decades.
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