A young girl was left alone and distraught after her father was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents while simply stepping out to collect a family meal, her mother has claimed.
An Evening Turned to Anguish
The incident occurred on Sunday in Morristown, New Jersey. According to his partner Gabby Rosa, Adonay Mancia Rodríguez left their apartment to walk downstairs and retrieve a food order from a nearby restaurant for himself and his six-year-old daughter, Annabella. He did not return.
"He walked downstairs to pick up the food and was taken by ICE," Rosa told local media. She was working a shift at a local Walmart at the time and was alerted by neighbours who witnessed the arrest. "They took him and they left my baby in the apartment, all alone," she stated.
Rosa said witnesses told her that Annabella, confused by her father's absence, eventually went outside to look for him. The little girl was reportedly seen tearfully roaming the street, asking, "where's papi?"
A Family's Plea and a Community's Response
The family insists Rodríguez, who they say came to the United States as a 16-year-old refugee fleeing gang violence and poverty after his mother's death, has a clean record. Local reports note he has two minor traffic violations. He has lived and worked in Morristown for over a decade.
"He is a hard worker with no criminal record whatsoever who is just trying to provide for his family," wrote his aunt, Rosa Portillo, on a GoFundMe page set up to hire an immigration lawyer. "He has a huge family here that is devastated, but most of all is his daughter, who is inconsolable."
Rosa echoed this fear, telling NJ.com, "I don’t want [Annabella] to grow up without him, without one of her parents, the same way he did."
The arrest coincided with an ICE operation at a laundromat directly opposite Rodríguez's apartment, which resulted in ten detentions. In response, Morristown's Democratic Mayor Tim Dougherty issued a strong statement of support for the town's immigrant community.
"Morristown is a community built by generations of immigrants, and our diversity is one of our greatest strengths," Mayor Dougherty said. "Actions like this create fear and uncertainty for families who contribute every day to our schools, businesses and neighbourhoods." He also called on local immigration lawyers to offer pro bono services to those affected.
Ongoing Uncertainty
The whereabouts of Adonay Mancia Rodríguez and his exact immigration status remain unclear. The case has highlighted the immediate human consequences of immigration enforcement actions, centring on the trauma experienced by a young child separated from her parent.
The family continues to rally support through their fundraiser, hoping to secure legal representation to challenge his detention and reunite him with his devastated daughter.
