Northfield man arrested by ICE agents will be deported

An immigration judge ruled Monday that Adan Nunez Gonzalez does not have a reasonable chance of qualifying for asylum or other protections that would allow him to stay in the U.S.

During a hearing, Nunez Gonzalez told the judge that he feared being returned to his home country of Mexico because he was targeted for recruitment by a gang.

However, Judge Monte Miller said that being pressured by gangs to join them is not, under current law, a valid reason for asylum. And he said the decision cannot be appealed.

“Today, Adan’s life was decided about in seven minutes,” said Kim Boche, an attorney with The Advocates for Human Rights, in a statement. “Even with an attorney and legislators watching, the system moved to remove him without meaningful review. Adan's violent apprehension and perfunctory process is representative of a carceral immigration system that prioritizes detention and deportation over family unity and safety.”

Nunez Gonzalez has been held since Nov. 11, when ICE agents in unmarked vehicles detained him during what witnesses described as a tense encounter. 

He has four children and has been living in the U.S. since 2014.  ICE officials say Nunez Gonzalez has illegally reentered the country after previous removals. They also say Nunez Gonzalez had an arrest for public intoxication and a warrant for failing to appear in criminal court.

Nunez Gonzalez does not appear to have any criminal convictions or pending cases in Minnesota. MPR News could not find records of the charges DHS alleges.