The Nerd Stash
Heartbroken California Community Donates over $30K to Ice Cream Seller Getting …
The community in California was left heartbroken after a man selling ice cream was forced to leave due to deportation.
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San Diego Paletero Faces Deportation After Three Decades, Shares Heartfelt Farewell
SAN DIEGO, CA – Francisco Javier Duarte, a beloved ice cream street vendor known as "Cisco" to his San Diego community, has delivered an emotional farewell message as he faces deportation to Mexico. Duarte, who has served the community for 30 years, shared his story in a video posted by his daughter, revealing the culmination of a seven-year legal battle with immigration services. Duarte stated he was first detained by immigration in 2017, marking the beginning of a "tormenting chapter" that included seven months in an immigration detention center. Despite fighting his case through multiple court appearances with legal representation, his final appeal was unsuccessful. "Yesterday was my final court," Duarte said, expressing the initial hope that "everything would turn out fine." However, he was issued a removal order to Mexico and is currently wearing an ankle monitor. Citing his health and the well-being of his wife and four U.S. citizen children, Duarte has decided to relocate to Tijuana, Mexico. His children, including a daughter attending Stanford University and another studying at Harvey Mudd in Los Angeles, are American citizens and can cross the border to visit him. "I'm going to Tijuana to be close to my children," he explained, "because that is the only way to stay close." Duarte expressed profound gratitude to his loyal customers and the San Diego community for their support over the past three decades. "Thank you so much, my people, my community," he conveyed in the video, adding, "I have lived in this house a lifetime, for approximately twenty-five years." He concluded his message with a hopeful outlook, stating, "The will of God is perfect. There's a reason God did things the way He did. I will be fine." His story highlights the personal impact of immigration policies on families and communities.
