Venezuelan Journalist Detained by ICE While Driving Uber in Florida, Released on $5,000 Bond

Venezuelan journalist Wilmer Solano, 58, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on July 26 while working as an Uber driver in South Florida. He spent over two weeks in immigration custody before an immigration judge set his bond at $5,000, leading to his release.

Solano, who arrived in the United States in 2015, stated he has a pending asylum application, possesses work authorization, a Social Security number, and Florida identification. According to Telemundo 51 Miami, the incident occurred around 4:40 p.m. near Haulover Beach when agents approached his vehicle. Solano reported that an official asked for his nationality before telling him he needed to accompany them.

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You are from Venezuela, right?

The initial intervention was carried out by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that Solano was taken into custody immediately, adding that "employment authorization or a pending asylum application do not in themselves equate to a migratory status that permits remaining in the country."

Solano was initially held at a facility in Dania Beach for about three days before being transferred to the Krome Detention Center in Miami-Dade County. His lawyer, Arno Lemus, questioned the treatment Solano received, emphasizing that his client had entered the U.S. legally in 2015 on a journalist visa and filed for asylum in December of the same year. After appearing before the immigration court, a judge set the $5,000 bond, allowing Solano to leave Krome and continue his immigration process.

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Employment authorization or a pending asylum application do not in themselves equate to a migratory status that permits remaining in the country.