MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – An award-winning South Florida producer and director is fighting a deportation order, and he has some powerful people in his corner.
Darwin Robles is happily married and has deep roots in South Florida's Spanish media.
He has no criminal record and has tried to do things the legal way.
Terrified and fighting back tears, Robles shared what could soon be his new reality with Local 10 News.
The producer, film director and philanthropist, who has won multiple Emmy awards, is now facing deportation to Ecuador after legally living in South Florida for 16 years.
"The government adopted a blanket policy of, 'We just can't help you,'" immigration attorney Carolina Piñero said.
Piñero said Immigration and Customs Enforcement first threatened Robles' legal residency when his first marriage failed, accusing him of fraud.
He won his case, but by then, Piñero said ICE had already ordered his deportation.
"The government was not willing to exercise any type of positive discretion in his case despite the fact that this is such an influential and valuable person to our community," Piñero said.
Robles has letters from members of Congress showing their support for him, including from Democratic U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Donna Shalala and Ted Deutch.
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, has also advocated on his behalf.
Robles said his and his loved ones' futures are now in the hands of immigration authorities, and he's begging them for discretion.
A representative for ICE said he is currently looking into the case and is working to get us a response.
Robles has an appointment Monday at ICE headquarters, where he fears he will be detained for deportation.