OREM, Utah — A Utah judge has ordered the return of a man whose deportation came “in direct violation of the court’s Order.”
On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Jill Parrish ordered that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) facilitate the return of Federico Reyes Vasquez to Utah from Jalisco, Mexico, within 21 days.
According to his attorney, Alec Bracken, Reyes Vasquez has been in the United States for more than 20 years and was living in Orem.
Bracken says he was first detained there back on December 19, 2025. He was with a friend who ICE agents had gone to pick up, when the agency checked his status and then picked him up as well.
The same day he was picked up, Bracken says he filed a habeas corpus petition.
“To get the federal courts to basically make ICE tell us where he is, what’s going on?” said Bracken, an attorney with Contigo Law in Provo.
Then on December 22, Parrish ordered DHS to keep Reyes Vasquez in Utah while the court looked at the petition.
But on the next day, they got a call saying he’d been deported to Mexico.
“The government hadn’t contacted us at all or told us anything about what was happening,” Bracken said. “They hadn’t told the family members anything.”
Bracken says that communication remains the biggest issue - in this case and others he’s handled.
“ICE’s office here in Salt Lake City - they have completely disabled their public inquiry line,” said Bracken.
We tried calling that line again as we sat with Bracken, listed on the agency’s website at 801-736-1200. Their interactive voice system responds with numerous options, which include, “To inquire about a subject in our custody, press four.”
Bracken pressed that number, as he’d done before, and the phone immediately hung up the call. So he says he’s filing a separate lawsuit in an effort to turn that line back on.
Now that he’s contacted his client, Bracken says that Reyes Vasquez does not have any criminal history, but he is a Mexican citizen.
“My understanding was that he did not have any status in the United States,” Bracken said. “Although I do believe he has three U.S. citizen children.”
Still, Bracken contends that status shouldn’t matter - that the Constitution said every person living in the U.S. is entitled to due process.
“I’ve seen the comment sections that say ‘He’s illegal, why should he get anything? He didn’t do this right,’” said Bracken. “I want people to think about their family. What would they want to have happen for someone in their life that’s accused of something.”
“It may ultimately be that he is deported out of this country,” Bracken added. “But the right process should be followed for that.”
We received a statement tonight from his son, Esggar Reyes, which reads:
“Our family is heartbroken and still trying to process everything. My dad was deported just two days before Christmas, which made the situation even more devastating. We’re living with constant sadness, fear, and uncertainty. As a mother of two, I’m doing my best to stay strong for my children while coping with the sudden loss of my dad. Watching my mom struggle emotionally and financially without him has been incredibly painful. On top of that, my dad is the CEO of our family business, and his deportation has caused serious disruption to something he worked years to build. His absence has affected not only our family, but also the livelihood connected to that business.”
“The judge’s ruling gives us a sense of hope during an incredibly difficult time. It shows that there is still a chance for my dad to come back home to Utah, where his family and business are. He isn’t just a father and husband — he’s a business owner, a leader, and the backbone of our family. While we understand the uncertainty, we are holding onto hope and praying for his return so our family can be reunited and our lives can begin to heal.”
FOX 13 News also reached out to the local ICE office for comment on this case. We have not yet heard back.
