RUSK, Texas — Julio Torres, an East Texas veteran and pastor, is at risk of being deported to Mexico after visiting family in June. Torres has been at the Prairieland Detention Facility in Alvarado, 150 miles away from home in Rusk, since June 27.
Torres is a Marine veteran who was honorably discharged in 2003 after serving for over three years. His wife, Maria Renteria Torres, said he received his green card in the mail a few days before the trip. He went to Mexico to see family he wanted to get to know.
"On the way back (from Mexico), that was a nightmare. Homeland Security detained my husband at the DFW Airport," she said. "We didn’t think of anything wrong; he had his residency."
In early June, he received a letter along with his green card from the Department of Security thinking everything was squared away for their trip.
"He’s loved from this community (in Rusk) and the Terrell community. I want him back; I just want my husband back out of there. It hurts, but I know God will help us," she said. "He lost his daughter and he changed (his lifestyle)."
She said Julio had a troubled past. He was a drug addict before joining the Covenant Church of East Texas in Rusk, where he is one of the pastors. In addition, he's a chaplain for the local jail and volunteers at the local food pantry.
Over these last few of days, his family has received many letters of support sharing Julio's impact and his contributions to the community.
One of them came from Rusk Police Chief Scott L. Heagney, which reads in part, "Julio is not the same man he was before...emerging as a model citizen. Julio is a military service veteran having served three years and seven months in the U.S. Marine Corps."
Julio's wife allowed CBS19 to speak with him briefly from the detention facility.
"I’m sitting here in immigration for deportation, and I look at one of my hands it has an American flag (and) the other one United States Marines and I look at those tattoos and wonder do they even mean anything anymore," he said.
Julio owns a truck with scriptures written all over it.
"He treasures this truck because of the scriptures on it," she said.
One of those scriptures is Romans 1:16 which reads, "here I am, send me as your messenger."
Now it’s Julio, along with an army of supporters, wanting to send a message to anyone who can help.
"I want to hold my kids. I want to be home; I love you guys thank you guys," Julio said.
Family and friends are asking to people to send letters in support of Julio to Prairieland Detention Facility, located at 1209 Sunflower Lane in Alvarado, Texas 76009. His booking number is #A044335795.
CBS19 has reached out to elected officials about this case. We have not heard back yet at this time.