Bryan José Rojas Galofre reportedly hoped to treat his wife to a memorable honeymoon, giving her the chance to see the beach for the first time and possibly catch a glimpse of President Donald Trump, whom she reportedly supports.
Their road trip from Wisconsin to Miami in January 2025 reportedly took a troubling turn, according to the couple, after Rojas—a Venezuelan immigrant whose wife and children are U.S. citizens—was detained following a stop at security linked to a Trump hotel checkpoint.
He subsequently spent more than three months in ICE detention in Florida. Rojas was also accused of alleged gang ties, which he denies, and says he feared deportation to El Salvador while also losing his steady job and work authorization.
The family further says the situation caused severe financial hardship, including the loss of their home and car, the depletion of Rojas’ 401(k) savings, and mounting debt.
Rojas, 34, said in an interview with Noticias Telemundo that “in the end, it was a bad decision,” referring to the couple’s visit to the Trump National Doral hotel. He and his wife, Socorro Zaragosa, had hoped to catch a glimpse of President Donald Trump, who was at the resort on January 27 for a Republican retreat opening. Rojas added that they had already booked a stay at the hotel for the following day.
A 22-year-old U.S. citizen, Zaragosa was raised in Wisconsin in a family that supports the current U.S. president.
“I’m his fan. I believe Trump is a good president,” she said, though Zaragosa added that her support for him stands alongside her pain over her husband’s prolonged detention.
“What he is doing to migrants isn’t fair,” Zaragosa said of the president. “What happened to my family wasn’t fair.”
Rojas entered the United States in September 2021 under the administration of President Joe Biden. He turned himself in to Border Patrol, explaining that he was escaping Venezuela, and was later released pending the processing of his asylum claim.
Rojas later found work at a brake disc manufacturing facility in Wisconsin, earning $29 per hour and later advancing to the role of line supervisor.
Rojas and Zaragosa got married in September 2024, and he said he had already started the process of adjusting his immigration status through family sponsorship as they were preparing to leave for their honeymoon.
On the afternoon of January 27, 2025, Rojas and Zaragosa made their way toward the hotel. Upon arrival, they were stopped at a mandatory security checkpoint leading into the property, where their vehicle was searched by Secret Service personnel alongside officers from the Doral Police Department.
During the search, officers reportedly found an air pistol—commonly referred to as an airsoft gun—under one of the car seats. The device, which fires plastic pellets and is often used for recreational purposes, was said by Zaragosa to be carried for self-defence while driving alone due to its resemblance to a real firearm.
Authorities also allegedly recovered a metal marijuana grinder from the glove compartment on the passenger side. The couple was taken into custody by local police and charged with one count of possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to use. They have pleaded not guilty, and the matter is still before the court.
Rojas alleges that after officers observed his tattoos, which include a crown, a Chinese dragon, and dollar signs, he was separated from his wife by the agents.
“They pulled me out of the car, they checked my tattoos, they started asking if I belonged to a gang, they took photos of me and put me under review to see if I was linked to terrorism,” Rojas said. “At that time, the news surrounding the Tren de Aragua gang was making major headlines.”
Rojas maintains that his tattoos are purely personal and insists that he has no affiliation with any gang.
Rojas’ attorney, Tahimi Rengifo, noted that early in the Trump administration there was increased scrutiny of tattoos and their alleged links to the Tren de Aragua gang. She described this approach as a “broad generalization,” adding,
“we are talking about young men who got tattoos without even knowing what they meant, and now they are facing serious consequences under this administration.”
In the days after his arrest, the Department of Homeland Security moved Rojas to the Federal Detention Center in downtown Miami, where authorities carried out checks to determine whether he had any links to Venezuelan gangs. He remained there for almost three months, held on the facility’s 13th floor, during which he reportedly feared deportation to El Salvador, as other Venezuelan detainees he was held with had been transferred there.
Rojas stated that following his arrest, he and his wife had no contact for about a month while he was in custody.
At the time, Zaragosa was left on her own with the couple’s first child, who was just six months old.
“I thought that was it — that my family was over. I thought I would wake up one day and find that I had lost him,” Zaragosa said, “that I would be left all alone with my son.”
After considering the evidence, Immigration Judge Scott G. Alexander approved bond for Rojas on April 18, 2025, a ruling that suggested he was not considered a danger to the public or a flight risk. He was set a $15,000 bond and moved to the Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach while his family arranged payment and prepared further paperwork. Rojas was eventually released from detention on May 6, 2025.
“People operate under the assumption that once they win their hearing, they will be released immediately,” Rojas’ lawyer said. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way.”
“Bryan had no criminal record whatsoever; he hadn’t committed any crime. He had a pending legal proceeding that, under any previous administration, would not have been an issue,” Rengifo added. “But under this administration, all these small details — the tattoo, the grinder, the BB gun — combined to create a situation that escalated significantly.”
