CORONA, Queens — An argument over a family dog could lead to the deportation of a father who has lived in Queens since 1994.
The family of 47-year-old Edisson Barros says saving their family dog “Chucho” could now end with their father’s deportation.
Friday could be the last day the Ecuadorian father of two U.S. citizen children spends in the United States, locked up in a detention facility.
“He’s not a criminal,” said his daughter Paola Barros, 21.
According to the family, back in May, a driver almost ran over “Chucho,” when the dog ran into the middle of a street in Maspeth, Queens.
Barros saved the dog by throwing his keys at the vehicle to get the driver’s attention.
That driver called police and had Barros arrested for damaging his vehicle.
He was shortly released by the NYPD but when Barros showed up to court last month, ICE agents greeted him.
“ICE agents were outside,” Barros said. “They detained him since then.”
Barros first came to the United States in 1994, was deported in 2003 and came back to the U.S. in 2004.
Councilman Francisco Moya, who is also Ecuadorian, wrote a letter to the judge and says in all those years living in the U.S., Barros’ only criminal offense was due to saving “Chucho.”
“Now innocent, hard-working individuals are being deported,” Councilman Moya said.
Barros’ daughter has filed a petition for her father to stay in this country, but if he’s deported Friday, that petition will never be heard.
“We are asking for compassion,” said activist Carlos Jesús Calzadilla-Palacio, who has been helping the family.
You can donate to the family, at https://www.gofundme.com/getting-a-family-together
