Suburban Teen's Family Leaves U.S. for Colombia After Father Was Deported

A teenage boy named Juan Jaimes is now living alone in Chicago after his entire family left the United States and moved back to Colombia. His father, Omar Bautista Carvajal, was arrested by immigration agents in October 2025 and later sent back to Colombia. Juan's mother, younger sister, and brother chose to follow Omar rather than stay in the U.S. without him. Juan, who is 19, made the hard decision to stay behind and build a future in America.

Juan's father was stopped by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE, on October 4, 2025. He was on his way to English class when agents detained him. Omar had a valid work permit and was seen as a low safety risk, but he was still arrested. Over time, his health got worse while he was in ICE custody.

Juan's mother, Jasbleidys Hernandez, fought hard to get her husband released. She held onto hope for months that Omar would come home. Despite her efforts, he was deported to Colombia in July 2026. After he was freed, she said he was feeling much better.

The family packed up their belongings and left the U.S. on their own — a choice called self-deportation. They left not only to reunite with Omar, but also because they could no longer afford to stay without his income. Jasbleidys said leaving felt like the end of a nightmare, even though it was not the way she wanted things to go. 'We didn't do anything wrong,' she said.

The hardest moment for Juan was saying goodbye to his little sister, Victoria. Victoria came to the U.S. when she was only three years old, in 2022. Before leaving, she asked Juan, 'When am I going to see you?' He did not have an answer. She is now saying goodbye to the only friends she has ever known.

Jasbleidys said the thing that hurt her most was not being able to give her children the education she had dreamed of. She wanted them to keep learning and growing in the United States. Before going through airport security, she said people who have not lived through her experience cannot truly understand how painful it is. 'It's very hard and it hurts a lot,' she said.

Juan's mother told him to be careful and not go out too much, worried he could be picked up by federal agents. Juan said he tries not to think about that risk. He is focused on the future and on making his dreams come true. 'My dreams don't make me stop because I know I can do it,' he said.

The immigration sweep that led to Omar's arrest was called Operation Midway Blitz. It started on September 8, 2025, and ended sometime in December 2025. Federal agents flooded Chicago-area streets during the operation, and many immigrant families were separated. Even though the operation is over, ICE agents have continued making arrests in the area.

New data shows that 8,111 people were detained in the Chicago area between January 20, 2025, and August 5, 2026. Of those, 3,730 were deported and 2,002 left the country on their own. The data also shows that 79% of those detained had no prior criminal convictions, and Omar had no criminal record.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Omar received due process and was ordered removed by an immigration judge on May 5, 2026. He was officially deported on July 22, 2026. Omar was also part of a group lawsuit arguing he should never have been detained, but a court overturned the decision that would have freed him.