Immigration Crackdown Hits Venezuelan Journalist in Florida

November 08, 2025 – Venezuela/USA – 

A Venezuelan journalist residing in Florida was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for nearly two weeks after being stopped by the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) during a routine traffic operation in mid-October. The journalist, identified as Gustavo Giménez Sánchez, who is seeking asylum in the United States, was initially detained after the trooper alertly questioned his immigration status following the stop.

Following his arrest, Giménez Sánchez was transferred into ICE custody and held at a detention centre outside Miami, where he reportedly experienced harsh conditions and limited access to legal support. His prolonged confinement sparked concern among press-freedom advocates, who noted the case underscores increasing risks faced by migrant journalists covering diasporic communities in South Florida. Local immigrant-rights groups criticised the law-enforcement action as emblematic of growing enforcement momentum under the current immigration policy framework. Many argued that the stop rapidly escalated beyond ordinary traffic enforcement into a federal immigration crackdown while leaving the journalist’s rights and asylum claims largely unaddressed.

This episode arrives against a backdrop of intensified immigration enforcement in Florida, where state and federal agencies have ramped up operations targeting non-citizens, including those with pending humanitarian claims. Critics say journalists and other vulnerable groups are disproportionately affected, particularly as the lines between routine policing and immigration enforcement blur. The presence of a media professional in detention has drawn particular scrutiny, given protections for press freedom under U.S. and international standards.

Giménez Sánchez’s case remains unresolved. His family and legal representatives are reportedly seeking release and deportation relief, while advocacy organisations are monitoring developments closely. They emphasise that the treatment of journalists, especially those working on politically sensitive or immigrant-community issues, merits heightened safeguards. They call for transparent handling of asylum claims, proper legal access, and strict separation of journalism from immigration enforcement practices.

Reference – 

https://www.elnuevoherald.com/noticias/inmigracion/article312830229.html

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article312718043.html