Photo by Levi Ventura on Unsplash

It is important to know that even the U.S. government does not always have jurisdiction in certain situations. 

In a troubling incident in Florida, 20-year-old Juan Carlos Lopez Gomez, a U.S. citizen, was detained in a Florida state jail, on the request of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), despite presenting valid proof of his citizenship. The case has raised serious concerns about the enforcement of immigration laws and the protection of civil rights.​

On a Wednesday in April 2025, Lopez Gomez was traveling to work in a vehicle stopped by the Florida Highway Patrol just past the Georgia state line. The car was pulled over for speeding, and Lopez Gomez was a passenger. He and the driver and another passenger were arrested under Florida's new immigration law, SB-4C, which criminalizes the entry of undocumented immigrants into the state. However, Lopez Gomez is a U.S. citizen, not an undocumented immigrant. Furthermore, the law's enforcement was temporarily blocked by a federal judge at the time of the arrest, meaning it should not have been enforced.​

When Lopez Gomez was arrested and charged, ICE asked the jail he was at to hold him for 48 hours. But Lopez Gomez told law enforcement officers he was a U.S. citizen, and he was still held until his mom brought his birth certificate and social security card for a judge to inspect in court. The judge found the documents to be authentic and stated there was no probable cause for Lopez Gomez's arrest. 

ICE's actions have been criticized, as the agency has no jurisdiction over U.S.-born citizens.​ The incident has sparked public outrage, with many questioning the legality of ICE's actions and the broader implications for civil liberties. Advocacy groups argue that such detentions are part of a troubling pattern of wrongful arrests of U.S. citizens under aggressive Trump Administration immigration policies that make racial profiling part of law enforcement's duties. With the amount of ICE arrests and detainments taking place, there is a need for clear guidelines to prevent such occurrences and protect individuals' rights.​ Lopez Gomez's mother said she plans to sue over his arrest.

It is important to review what your rights are, if you are ever pulled over by law enforcement or stopped by ICE. We recommend reading this advisory from the National Immigrant Justice Center. 

If you need assistance filing for an immigration petition, you can reach us at (757) 422-8472, or send us a message on our website. You can also schedule an appointment with one of our attorneys by clicking on this link.