By Jaimie Julia Winters
On Feb. 2, Martin Soto, a 30-year-old native of Peru and father of two, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement while walking home after buying diapers at a store a few blocks from his Kearny residence.
After 31 days at Delaney Hall, the ICE detention facility in Newark, an immigration judge set Soto’s bail at $40,000 while he awaits a hearing, according to his wife, Gabriela Soto, 27.
Gabriela said Martin left their home around 6 p.m. to walk three blocks to a nearby store. When he did not return, she began to worry.
“The store was only about a half-hour away, so when he didn’t come home after an hour, I started texting and calling. Then another hour passed and I got really worried,” she said.
After a grueling five and a half hours, Gabriela finally received a call at 11:30 p.m. Martin told her he had been arrested and was being held at Delaney Hall.
On his way home, Gabriela said, recalling their conversation, Martin encountered ICE agents who began questioning him. After a back-and-forth conversation complicated by a language barrier, he was taken into custody and transported to Newark.
“He said he tried to ask them to speak slower in English, but they seemed to get more frustrated with him,” she said.
ICE states that its officers may initiate encounters with individuals, briefly detain people they reasonably suspect are in the country unlawfully, and make arrests without a judicial warrant in certain immigration enforcement situations.
A long-distance love affair
The couple met in Peru while Gabriela, a U.S. citizen, was visiting family. They maintained a long-distance relationship and welcomed a daughter four years ago.
Martin entered the United States illegally in late 2023 and was immediately detained. He was released by immigration authorities in early 2024 and given an immigration court date in 2028.
Soon after his release, the couple married and began building a life together in New Jersey. They welcomed a second child, a son.
Although Martin works at a pizzeria in Lyndhurst, he does not have a work visa or green card, Gabriela said. She said ICE officials told her he was detained because of his immigration status.
“He came to this country with a purpose,” Gabriela said. “He came here to raise his daughter and be a father to his son. He came here to make a life with me and our children.”
Gabriela said the couple had been preparing to begin the immigration process, but believed they had time since Martin’s court hearing was not scheduled until 2028. They planned to hire an immigration attorney after filing their taxes this year.
“He was in the process of getting his paperwork. He has a family — two kids that love him,” she said. “He is responsible and he’s a good person. He has a big heart.”
Now, she says, her focus is on bringing him home.
Court records show Martin has no criminal history or prior arrests. Gabriela said he was the primary financial provider for their family, often working overtime in the restaurant kitchen while she worked part-time and cared for their children.
His detention has put a heavy emotional and financial strain on the family, she said. Gabriela has taken on more hours at a local wings restaurant while caring for their children and visits Martin two to three times a week at Delaney Hall.
She said he is trying to remain strong, but the experience has been psychologically draining. Martin shares a unit with about 180 other men and sleeps in a room that holds 10 people.
“There’s nothing to do but think. They have two iPads in the unit,” she said. “The food is not good, and he is sick a lot with stomach problems and diarrhea. I try to encourage him to read the Bible and keep his faith.”
Their daughter especially misses her father and does not understand why he is no longer there to read to her and tuck her in at night, Gabriela said.
Despite the hardship, Gabriela said the family has also received support from their community. Martin’s employer wrote a letter to the court supporting his release on bail, and their pastor at Monte Sinai Church submitted a letter on his behalf.
Counting her blessings, but funds are still needed
She said she also feels fortunate that Martin received a hearing relatively quickly, noting that some detainees he shares a unit with have been waiting more than a year.
Gabriela has taken on two jobs and launched a GoFundMe campaign with a goal of $30,000. As of this week, the fundraiser had raised more than $16,000. But more is needed, as Gabriele says she is behind in bills and has to come up with bail money.
The family has also hired an attorney to represent Martin. They expect to learn later this week whether the court will accept a bond in lieu of the full bail amount, she said.
“He doesn’t deserve this,” Gabriela wrote in the GoFundMe campaign. “He has a whole life ahead of him. He always tries to find ways to make money to support his kids and his family. Please help me so we can keep our family together.”
Note: If you would like to donate to Gabriela’s GoFundMe campaign click here GoFundMe.
