Iowa Immigration Judge Denies Bond to Shooting Victim Seeking Protection

Tue Sep 23 2025 07:40:47 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Felipe de Jesus Hernandez Marcelo, a victim of a near-fatal shooting in Iowa, has been denied bond by an immigration judge, leaving him in ICE custody despite applying for a special visa for crime victims.

An immigration judge has ruled that Felipe de Jesus Hernandez Marcelo, who has been detained by ICE after seeking police help following a shooting, will remain in custody. Hernandez, a Mexican national who entered the U.S. illegally, is applying for a U visa designed for crime victims but faces challenges due to changes in immigration policy and concerns about his legal status. His lawyer argues he is not a flight risk, but the judge disagrees, citing his past legal violations and emphasizing the need for criminal proceedings to conclude before he can be certified for the visa.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Felipe de Jesus Hernandez Marcelo, a 28-year-old man detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has been denied bond by an immigration judge. Hernandez, who is a victim of a near-fatal shooting, sought police assistance in June 2021, only to be arrested on an unrelated warrant shortly after.

Hernandez has been in ICE custody since June 24, soon after he was shot during a robbery in Muscatine, Iowa. He entered the U.S. illegally in 2021 from Mexico and is now applying for a special U visa aimed at encouraging victims of crime to report incidents without the fear of deportation.

However, under the Trump administration, policies that previously protected crime victims have been rescinded, leading to an increased number of arrests and deportations. Hernandez's unfortunate circumstances highlight the tense intersection of crime, victimization, and immigration enforcement.

Doctors and police played a crucial role in saving Hernandez’s life after a bullet passed through his wrist and thigh. While he attempted to retrieve his possessions post-shooting, he was instead taken into custody after being found with a warrant for unpaid traffic tickets.

The situation escalated when the Omaha, Nebraska immigration judge sided with ICE, deeming Hernandez subject to mandatory detention. A subsequent federal ruling recognized his need for a bond hearing after finding he suffered “irreparable harm” in custody.

As of now, Hernandez has missed vital medical appointments for his recovery and has been separated from his 9-year-old son. His lawyer has asserted that he should not be considered a flight risk and that he is a key witness against his attackers, one of whom has pleaded guilty while the other is facing trial.

Despite the arguments presented, Immigration Judge Alexandra Larsen denied the bond request, citing doubts about Hernandez’s eligibility for the U visa and indicating that he posed a flight risk based on his past legal issues.

The legal battle continues as Hernandez’s lawyer plans to appeal the decision and stress the importance of his situation as a crime victim seeking justice.