Immigration and Customs Enforcement says Marco Tulio Coss has been detained by authorities.
Coss, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, feared he might be deported but was allowed to stay in the country if he agreed to show up to his scheduled appointments. According to his attorney, Ravindar Arora, Coss has complied with ICE policy.
In April, ICE officials gave Aurora a 30-day deadline to file a “stay of removal” and asylum for Coss.
On Thursday evening, ICE released the following statement:
Mr. Coss is currently being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) based on a removal order issued in January 2011 by the Department of Justice's Executive Office for Immigration Review. Mr. Coss' appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) was subsequently denied in May 2012. Mr. Coss appealed the denial in June 2012 to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and was denied in October 2012. Mr. Coss is subject to a final order of removal.
Coss has lived in the United States for 18 years. In 2009, he was arrested for driving without a license.
Members of the community have rallied around Coss.
Last month, supporters gathered outside of ICE headquartersin downtown Phoenix to show their support for Coss, who was there for an appointment.
His attorney told ABC15 that Coss feared being deported because his brother was killed in Sonora, Mexico and he didn’t think it was safe to return.
He says Coss came to the United States to find a better life for himself and escape the violence.
