WISCONSIN – A Wisconsin man said his wife is in a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility after being taken into custody on their way back from their honeymoon.
Bradley Bartell and Sylvia Camilla Muñoz-Lira (courtesy of Bartell)
The husband said he’s sticking by his wife and his presidential vote, despite the policies that might have led to the split.
What we know:
Bradley Bartell and his Peruvian wife, Sylvia Camilla Muñoz-Lira, live in the Wisconsin Dells area. Bartell said on Feb. 15, his wife was detained by ICE coming back from their honeymoon in Puerto Rico.
It was not how Bartell saw his first year of marriage.
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“The vows are in sickness and in health and I’m going to add in freedom and detention,” Bartell said. “We were leaving Puerto Rico at the airport, and TSA was asking everyone if they were American citizens or not […] We didn’t have our marriage certificate or anything on us like that, so because of that, they grabbed her.”
Bradley Bartell and Sylvia Camilla Muñoz-Lira (courtesy of Bartell)
Since then, he said his wife was kept in Puerto Rico and Florida for a few days before being transferred to a detention center in Louisiana.
The backstory:
He said his wife came to America on a U.S. visa in 2019 and stayed after it expired. The two married last summer and had submitted paperwork a few months ago for permanent residency.
“She has no history of anything bad. She’s hardworking and wants to be a part of this great country,” he said.
What He’s Saying:
Data shows just over 46,200 people have been detained by ICE so far this year, as President Donald Trump’s administration promised to crack down on immigration – which Bartell said he voted in support of.
Bradley Bartell and Sylvia Camilla Muñoz-Lira (courtesy of Bartell)
“I still feel like I voted for the [lesser] of two evils,” Bartell said. “I’m not a hardliner, but the support for Trump is still there […] I know it’s the administration’s attempt to put everyone who [has a] visa overstay into deportation proceedings.”
Big picture view:
Immigration attorney David Rozas is Muñoz’ attorney.
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“We are fighting really hard to convince the government to give her a bond,” he said. “I don’t have as much info as I would like, it’s a nightmare in that way.”
FOX6 news reached out to ICE but has not heard back.
What’s next:
The attorney said he is still awaiting a court date. In the meantime, Bartell is currently raising money for legal fees and to be able to post bond with a GoFundMe.
The Source: Bradley Bartell and attorney David Rozas contributed to this report.