‘I’m in danger here’: Man says he was ‘unlawfully’ deported

An asylum seeker says he was detained at an immigration hearing, transferred across multiple states, and ultimately deported — without ever understanding why. Now, his attorney is fighting to bring him back to the United States, calling his deportation “unlawful” in a lawsuit and warning he “faces imminent risk of harm” in his home country.

‘I’m in danger here’

For safety reasons, NBC6 is identifying the 32-year-old man as “Alex” and has agreed to conceal his identity. 

Speaking from Latin America, Alex says he fears for his life.

“Here, I am in danger,” he told NBC6, adding he believes he could be targeted because of his political views.

Arrested at immigration court

Alex says he showed up to an immigration court hearing on Dec. 3 and ended up in handcuffs – detained by agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

He says he was first transferred to an ICE facility in Miramar and later spent more than 50 days at the detention camp Florida officials call “Alligator Alcatraz.”

Alex describes the conditions at Alcatraz as “horrific.”

The facility, run by the state of Florida, was established as a short-term holding center, according to state officials, who had repeatedly denied allegations of poor conditions at the detention camp.

Moved across state lines before deportation

Alex says the transfers did not stop there.

He describes being flown from the detention camp to Louisiana, where he was held for several days, then transferred to Arizona, where he says he spent more than 20 days before being deported.

“I never knew anything. I didn’t even know why I had been detained,” he told NBC6 in Spanish.

Attorney files emergency petition

Alex’s attorney, Allison Rub, says she learned of his deportation only after he called her from his home country. For security reasons, she asked NBC6 not to disclose the country where Alex is currently located.

“He’s in hiding. He’s scared,” she said.

Rub filed an emergency “habeas corpus” petition in federal court, arguing Alex was “unlawfully deported from the United States” and “faces imminent risk of harm.” The petition also states that Alex had previously been placed in removal proceedings, but that case was dismissed. 

“This is somebody who didn’t have any criminal record and didn’t have the opportunity to have his case heard,” Rub said.

NBC6 searched the Florida Department of Law Enforcement database and did not find criminal history under Alex’s name in the state.

DHS and ICE didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment. After the NBC6 report aired, a DHS spokesperson confirmed ICE detained Alex on Dec. 3 and sent a statement, writing in part, “Claims this individual was ‘unlawfully deported’ are FALSE,” adding, “He was received full due process and was issued a removal order on December 12, 2025.”

Rub disputes this information, arguing in the petition that “there were no pending removal proceedings and no final order of removal authorizing his deportation.”

Surge in habeas petitions

Rub is one of many immigration attorneys across Florida who are turning to habeas corpus petitions to challenge detentions and seek bond hearings for their clients.

NBC6 Investigates previously reported that such filings have surged in federal courts in the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida.

“At this point in the current climate and posture, we believe that filing habeas corpus petitions is the only way to have an opportunity to have a fair bond hearing,” Rub said.

Judge denies request 

Since Alex is no longer in U.S. custody, a federal judge denied the emergency petition, ruling the court no longer has jurisdiction over the case.

Rub has since filed another lawsuit, asking the judge to “assume jurisdiction” over this case and order the Trump administration to “facilitate” Alex’s return, arguing “an immigration judge shall conduct proceedings for deciding the inadmissibility or deportability of an alien…” under federal law.