Chicago DJ Tunjo and His Husband Detained by Immigration Agents at Midway
The couple’s attorney says they filed asylum claims on time and followed required steps, raising questions about recent airport enforcement of overstayed visas.
Overview
- Federal agents detained Omar David Panqueva Rojas, known as DJ Tunjo, and his husband Santiago Paez as they arrived at Midway Airport and took them into immigration custody.
- The Department of Homeland Security says the two were held for overstaying tourist visas and will remain in custody pending removal hearings.
- Their lawyer says both men filed asylum claims within the required timeframe, completed biometrics, obtained work-authorized paperwork, and have no criminal records.
- Family and immigration records show the couple are separated in a detention facility in Indiana and supporters have raised legal funds through a GoFundMe to cover defense costs.
- Advocates and reporting link the case to a recent uptick in airport arrests of people with expired visas and increased information sharing between travel and immigration agencies, a trend that could affect others with pending immigration cases.