The family of a construction worker who was detained by federal agents in South Los Angeles is fighting to bring their loved one home.
Video captured agents detaining 48-year-old Candido Solis Cortez, who is a father and grandfather. The operation occurred on Friday as he picked a coworker up near the intersection of 79th Street and Vermont Avenue. His family says they were shocked when they saw the footage of his arrest.
“You can see in the few videos out on social media, he remained calm and didn’t resist and he looked fine,” Eulises Solis, the man’s son, said.
With Solis Cortez being the main provider of his household, his family is now looking at what steps they can take to survive. The man’s family consists of three children and four grandchildren.
“I miss him and there’s a lot of people helping him out here,” Solis said. “He has a lot of support, and I can’t wait to see him.”
While the South LA family navigates their new reality, the matriarch of the household has been overwhelmed and troubled by her husband’s detainment.
“It’s hard,” Solis said of his mother. “She’s here, but she barely eats. She’s crying, worried. I’m trying not to show her I’m crying, that I am feeling it.”
Solis Cortez immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico in 1999. He has no criminal record, his relatives said. The man’s family has been able to contact him at the Otay Mesa Detention Center, which is where he was placed. It’s unclear how long he will stay there.
“I told him everything was going to be fine and we are working through it,” Solis said. “We are trying to bring him back as soon as possible.”
In the meantime, the family has set up a GoFundMe page to help with their legal fees.
NBC4 has requested a comment from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.