Despite social media outcry, caretaker of paraplegic boy to be deported

Mark Curnutte
Cincinnati Enquirer
Yancarlos Mendez, 27, poses with his fiancee's son, Ricky Solis, in the hospital after a near-fatal car crash which left the boy paralyzed from the waist down. (Provided)

As concern about his pending deportation poured in from across the country, Yancarlos Mendez received official notice Monday, extinguishing all hope: He must go.

The letter from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement went to the suburban Cincinnati resident's attorney, Nazly Mamedova. 

"Your request for a stay of removal is denied," wrote ICE Deputy Field Office Director Robert Lynch.

The letter is dated Jan. 4, the same day The Enquirer first wrote about Mendez's situation. The auto mechanic, 27, was the sole financial provider and one of two trained medical caregivers of his fiancee's son. Ricky Solis, now 6, was paralyzed from the waist down in a February auto crash in suburban Fairfield. He is a U.S. citizen and son of Sandra Mendoza.

Mendez remained in federal immigration custody Monday in Morrow County, Ohio, north of Columbus. He and his fiancee spoke briefly on the phone Monday afternoon.

"He told me he is worried because they are deporting a lot of people tomorrow," Mendoza said. "I am very sad. But he told me he loves me. He loves Ricky. He said Ricky is his son. He said we will be together again as a family. He said that is his prayer to God. He is praying a lot."

She has not told Ricky the news yet because she doesn't know what to say to him.

The fact Mendez had remained in Morrow County over the weekend — since ICE told The Enquirer on Friday that it had rejected his appeal for a one-year stay of deportation — gave some of his supporters hope that the federal agency would reverse its decision.

Not so.

"No changes," ICE Detroit office spokesman Khaalid Walls wrote in an email to The Enquirer earlier Monday.

Mendez will be sent to the Dominican Republic, where he was born, his attorney was told. He also has citizenship in Spain, where he was raised.

Even though the deportation order is signed, attorney Mamedova said the legal team "would fight for his release until he is on the plane."

She said U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio is now trying to help secure Mendez's release.

The story of ICE's decision to move forward with Mendez's deportation went viral over the weekend and attracted national attention.

Published on cincinnati.com and usatoday.com, the story generated several offers to pay Mendoza's rent and utility bills. Dozens of other readers requested information on how to contribute financially to Mendoza and where to express objections to ICE.

Mendoza's attorney, Nazly Mamedova, said checks made out to Sandra Mendoza Calmo may be sent to her law office, Wanglaw, at 6924 Plainfield Road, Cincinnati OH 45236. Mamedova also can be reached at (513) 793-7776.

"Thank you for your help in this very tragic situation," Mamedova wrote to readers wanting to help her client.

A reader in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, wrote an email Monday to The Enquirer and said, "I placed a check in the mail this morning addressed to Ms. Mamedova's firm."

A group called Indivisible Tampa Bay sent an email to The Enquirer to ask where its members can express its unhappiness about the decision.

Mamedova said she was directing people to Rebecca Adducci, the director of the ICE office in Detroit, which has jurisdiction in Ohio.

"Since we have filled up the voice mailbox on her phone, please share this info with your networks and ask them to email her today: Rebecca.j.adducci@dhs.gov," Mamedova wrote in an email to supporters.

People who want Mendez released and reunited with his family circulated Adducci's phone number, (313) 568-6036, and the email address for Valentina Seeley, ICE's regional community relations officer, valentina.seeley@ice.dhs.gov.

Actor-activist Alyssa Milano was among those who tweeted the story, writing, "Hard to believe this kind of cruelty is happening right here in the United States." She included the hashtag #YancarlosAndRicky.

Mendez had lived since 2014 with Mendoza and her paraplegic son. The boy suffered paralysis and dozens of other serious injuries in the crash. Mendoza, who suffered a broken arm and leg when her car was hit broadside, said she is struggling financially and can't pay her rent. She had to quit her job in a pizza restaurant to care for Ricky around the clock.

She and Mendez underwent training to learn how to care for Ricky's complicated medical needs at home. 

Mendez was stopped for driving without a license — for the second time — in November and sentenced to 30 days in the Butler County Jail. The policy of the county's hard-line anti-immigration leader, Sheriff Richard Jones, is to cooperate with ICE and honor its detainers. ICE ordered Mendez's deportation Dec. 15 because he overstayed the visa he obtained through the Visa Waiver Program.

Mamedova filed Dec. 27 for a one-year suspension of deportation based on the hardship Mendez's removal would cause the little boy in his care.