Deportation case appeal leaves OC father of U.S. Marines faced with uncertainty

Narciso Barranco, the Orange County gardener whose deportation case drew national attention last year, is once again facing uncertainty as federal immigration officials appeal a judge’s ruling that had previously dismissed his case.

Barranco, a father of five, says he rarely leaves his home, only stepping out for doctor’s appointments and always accompanied by his wife or children. 

“It feels the same as being in prison,” said Barranco. “Sometimes I feel desperate…like I just want to run out and leave everything, but I know there are consequences.”

Inside his home, Barranco’s world is limited to his wife, Martha, their dog Snoopy, and two birds he cares for. He no longer works, leaving his wife as the sole provider for the family. 

Martha Barranco said her husband used to work seven days a week, but now he cannot work at all.

Narciso Barranco, a landscaper and the father of three Marines, was violently taken into custody by federal agents. Rep. Lou Correa appears during the NBC4 News at 4 p.m. on June 25, 2025.

Three of Barranco’s five children serve in the U.S. Marines. One son is keeping his father’s gardening business running, while the others advocate for him from Orange County to Washington, D.C. 

“I feel blessed to have my family’s support, but you can’t have everything in life. I have them, but not my freedom,” Barranco said.

Barranco’s case drew attention after a video circulated showing immigration agents arresting him while he worked as a landscaper in Santa Ana. At the time, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defended the arrest, saying agents felt threatened and accused Barranco of raising his weed trimmer, a claim his family denied. He spent about a month in detention before being released on bond.

Last month, a judge dismissed Barranco’s deportation case after finding he provided evidence that he was the father of three U.S. Marine sons, making him eligible to seek lawful status, a decision that initially brought relief to the family, but that relief was short-lived. 

Federal immigration officials have appealed the ruling. 

Barranco’s attorney, Lisa Ramirez, said part of the appeal argued that he did not qualify for permanent residency because his petition was still pending and that his parole-in-place application was submitted to the wrong agency. 

NBC4 reached out to DHS for comment, but has not yet received a response.

Ramirez said the appeal also puts Barranco’s applications for legal status on hold. “There’s not a lot he can do until a decision is issued,” she said.

Barranco spends his time in the small garden behind his home, where he said he feels a sense of freedom he cannot experience elsewhere. 

His attorney said a hearing on the appeal could take years to be scheduled and says they are prepared for when it happens. In the meantime, Barranco has no protection against deportation.