BOSTON (WHDH) – A janitor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who had been detained by ICE was released Thursday after six months in custody.
Francisco Rodriguez has been a janitor at MIT for the last five years. He had fled violence in his home country of El Salvador in 2006 after his co-worker there was murdered.
On July 13, Rodriguez was detained by ICE. Rodriguez’s pregnant wife was left alone to care for their children. Now he will spend the holidays at home in Chelsea and celebrate his son’s first Christmas.
“Our whole family is overjoyed. His son has been wiggling with excitement to have his father home and the girls can’t wait for their dad to pick them up from school like he used to. Our family is whole again and we thank God,” Francisco’s mother Jesús Rodriguez said in a press release.
Rodriguez’s removal proceedings have been stayed while an appeal to reopen his asylum case plays out in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, ICE officials said.
Hundreds had gathered since July, holding rallies, protests, marches to demand Rodriguez’s release.
“It is a Christmas miracle for Francisco to be returned to his family after being forced to miss so many important moments this year,” said Roxana Rivera, Vice President of Francisco’s union 32BJ SEIU.
Rodriguez’s first son, Josue Mateo Rodriguez, was born in August. Rodriguez said it feels wonderful to be home with his family.
Rodriguez has to wear a GPS monitoring ankle bracelet but said he has no hard feelings over being detained.
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