ICE Detains Mexican Tourist Visa Holder in Arizona

ICE detains Mexican tourist visa holder

Valid visa questioned

Released after three days

Edwar González, a 27-year-old Mexican citizen, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while visiting Mesa, Arizona, on a valid tourist visa, according to information provided by his family to 12News and Phoenix New Times. The case in which ICE detains a Mexican tourist visa holder has raised concerns among relatives and immigrant advocates.

The young man, whose full name is Edwar Omar Mezquita González, lives in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, and typically travels to the Valley each year to spend the end-of-year holiday season with family members who reside in Arizona.

This time, however, the trip ended in an immigration detention that lasted nearly three days, despite the fact that, according to his relatives, he had valid documentation to enter and temporarily remain in the United States.

ICE Detains Mexican Tourist Visa Holder During Family Visit

: https://t.co/e2eqK3Tymb

Mexican national Edwar Gonzalez is being held by ICE, though is relatives say he was visiting them on a valid visa. pic.twitter.com/h99wH8c0ZE

— Phoenix New Times (@phoenixnewtimes) December 14, 2025

According to testimony gathered by Phoenix New Times, on Tuesday, December 9, González was traveling with his brother through San Tan Valley in a white GMC Sierra pickup truck.

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The vehicle belongs to González’s older brother and is used both for work-related activities and personal matters, including transporting his children.

According to the family, the two had gone out to get coffee when they were followed and stopped by a Pinal County sheriff’s deputy.

The initial reason for the stop was allegedly traffic violations, including obscured license plates and tinted windows, near the intersection of Gantzel and Bella Vista roads.

During the stop, the older brother presented his permanent resident card, while González showed his valid tourist visa.

At that moment, an agent from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) approached and proceeded to review the young man’s immigration document, a step that ultimately led to the incident in which ICE detains a Mexican tourist visa holder despite valid paperwork.

ICE’s Argument and the Release

Edwar Gonzalez, 27, was being held in the Phoenix ICE field office for days before being released, according to a relative. https://t.co/1gCaSLky44

— 12 News (@12News) December 13, 2025

Samantha Cooley, a relative of González and an immigrant rights advocate, explained to 12News that Edwar has an extensive family network in Arizona.

“He has his brother, his brother’s wife. He has nieces, cousins,” Cooley said, according to Univision.

According to her account, agents argued that because González was inside a work truck, he was working, which prompted his detention by ICE in Arizona.

“They said that because he was in a work truck, he was working, and that’s why they had to detain him,” Cooley stated.

The relative added that at the time of the arrest, neither González nor his brother was engaged in any work-related activities.

Following the detention, the young man was transferred to the ICE office in Phoenix, where he remained while awaiting a possible deportation.

Cooley indicated that González was released on Thursday night, although without his visa, his Mexican driver’s license, or his I-94 form.

The documents were later returned through the Mexican Consulate in Phoenix, according to information provided by the family, bringing temporary closure to the case in which ICE detains a Mexican tourist visa holder during a routine family visit.