A Texas businessman and Trump voter has expressed frustration with the Trump administration following the arrest of his Venezuelan fiancée. The arrest occurred while she was traveling to a furniture convention in Houston.
John Gannon’s experience highlights an ongoing series of incidents where partners of American citizens face detention even with legal status. Gannon, aged 75, shared his disappointment in his vote for Trump in 2024 after his fiancée, Yasmin Suarez Reyes, 45, was detained at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport. He told CBS News that the agents’ actions were “destroying families and jobs” by apprehending “law-abiding citizens.”
Newsweek contacted Gannon, his attorney, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for comments. A DHS spokesperson confirmed Suarez Reyes entered the U.S. legally on October 24, 2023, but overstayed her admission, which ended on January 19, 2024. Pending immigration applications, the DHS clarified, do not grant legal status. An immigration judge will review her case.
Yasmin Suarez Reyes: Entry Details
Suarez Reyes entered the country legally under the Visa Waiver Program, due to her Spanish and Venezuelan dual citizenship. This program permits a 90-day stay without a visa. Despite this, she remained and applied for asylum in January 2024, which allowed her to receive a work permit and a Texas driver’s license during her case review with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
In July, Suarez Reyes was arrested at an airport while traveling to a convention in Las Vegas. According to Gannon, ICE agents detained her without explaining the reasons and took her away in a vehicle.
Trump Voter Reflects on Fiancée’s Arrest
Gannon expressed his disillusionment with Trump, stating he would not support him again. He criticized the administration’s approach, saying, “Go after the criminals. But leave the mom and pops and the kids alone. He’s destroying families.” Gannon, who owns over 1,000 billboards across the U.S. and businesses in Mexico, voiced concerns about the incident.
Rise in Airport Arrests
ICE has increased arrests at airports, focusing on immigrants with uncertain legal status, like those with pending asylum applications. The DHS emphasizes that such statuses, while providing work permits, do not prevent detention if original visas are expired.
The federal government’s strategy has drawn criticism from immigration attorneys and advocates. They argue that ICE targets easy cases to increase detention numbers. Currently, Suarez Reyes is detained at the Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe, Texas, awaiting removal proceedings.
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