‘This can’t be happening:’ Weslaco doctor detained by Border Patrol
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A Rio Grande Valley doctor is now being held at an immigration detention center after he was detained at a Border Patrol checkpoint.
Joseph Williams, the husband of Dr. Ezequiel Veliz, said Veliz was taken into custody Monday at the Sarita checkpoint while they were traveling to Houston.
“He said ‘they're detaining me…’ I started crying. I'm like ‘no! This can't be happening,’" Williams said.
Williams met Veliz in 2019. The couple married in March. Williams describes his husband as someone who cares deeply about helping others.
"He loves saving lives," Williams said.
Veliz was working to complete his medical residency program with UTRGV at Knapp Medical Center in Weslaco. He already had a medical degree from Venezuela.
Williams said Veliz was in the U.S. legally and focused on helping patients manage diabetes.
"He wanted to try and make the most impact that he could and just jump in," Williams said.
That changed late last year after Veliz lost his job through his work permit because his immigration status ended and he became undocumented.
Williams said Veliz's employment authorization card was given through a temporary protected status designation.
In October, the Trump Administration ordered that people with Veliz’s status from Venezuela would have their status terminated.
Veliz lost his job and became undocumented.
Williams said Veliz had been working to get a green card since then.
The couple decided to move to Houston. To get there, they had to pass through the Sarita Border Patrol checkpoint, where Veliz was taken in for questioning.
Williams waited five hours before learning his husband was being detained.
"Oh my god, and I was just bawling," Williams said.
Williams said Veliz was taken to McAllen to be processed before seeing an immigration judge at a later date.
Immigration attorney Carlos Garcia doesn't represent Veliz or Williams but says he has clients in similar situations.
"We've seen people in all phases of their immigration process being detained, and that's extremely concerning," Garcia said.
Garcia recommends avoiding travel through Border Patrol checkpoints.
"What's going on in South Texas is that even if you entered lawfully, but your visa has lapsed for whatever reason, then if you encounter an official from immigration or Border Patrol, the likelihood of you being detained is huge," Garcia said.
According to Garcia, Veliz trying to get a green card might help Veliz bond out of detention. William hopes that happens soon.
"He'll have to see a judge there, and there they'll decide if he's going to either stay in the country or be deported," Williams said.
Channel 5 News reached out to Immigration and Customs Enforcement to learn about Veliz's detainment. They had not responded by the time this story aired on Thursday evening.
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