Gay ICE Detainee Finally Freed After 150 Days of Cruel Detention

Allan Marrero’s nightmare began during what was supposed to be a routine green card interview in New York City. Married for two years to his husband Matthew, Marrero was abruptly detained by ICE officers after officials discovered a prior removal order tied to a missed immigration court hearing. The missed court date was due to Marrero’s participation in an alcohol rehabilitation program—an excuse widely recognized as “good cause” but disregarded by immigration authorities.

The Washington Blade first exposed Marrero’s case in March, revealing a process that was anything but routine. The couple’s experience was described by Rev. Amanda Hambrick Ashcraft, who accompanied them, as “dehumanizing” and “barbaric.” During the interview, Matthew was harshly reprimanded for simply looking at his husband, underscoring the hostile environment LGBTQ detainees face.

Once in custody, Allan Marrero was shuffled through multiple detention centers across the country, including the notorious Everglades Detention Facility—nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz” for its unsanitary and inadequate conditions. Throughout his detention, Marrero was denied access to necessary prescription medication and subjected to psychological pressure from ICE agents to self-deport rather than fight his case.

Despite a judge reopening his case and granting bond after Marrero proved his legitimate reason for missing the court date, ICE exploited procedural loopholes to keep him locked up. A second judge’s denial of relief prolonged his detention, leaving Marrero trapped in a system that prioritizes enforcement quotas over justice.

Matthew Marrero described the ordeal as a kidnapping, a total loss of control over a loved one’s life. “You shouldn’t be able to have this much control over somebody’s life, especially if they are trying to do the right thing,” he told the Blade. “You’re not going after criminals, you’re not going after the worst of the worst. You’re trying to fill a quota.”

Attorney Alexandra Rizio of Make the Road New York condemned the cruelty embedded in the process. She pointed out that immigration officers could have simply advised Allan to hire a lawyer to address the removal order instead of calling ICE to arrest him on the spot. Instead, ICE officers were waiting in the building to detain him immediately.

After 150 days of inhumane treatment and bureaucratic stonewalling, Allan Marrero has finally been released and reunited with his husband. The Marreros plan to hold a press conference at Middle Church in Manhattan, where Allan will share his story publicly for the first time.

This case lays bare the harsh realities faced by LGBTQ immigrants and the callousness of ICE’s enforcement practices under the current administration. It is a stark reminder that behind every detention number is a human life subjected to unnecessary cruelty and systemic failure.

For more details on the press conference, visit middlechurch.org.