Ismael Ayuzo Sandoval had lived in the U.S. for over 20 years, earning a reputation as one of the best-known restaurateurs in Staunton. His established eatery, Caldera Bar & Grill, has supported local community activities since opening. The father of two had been living peacefully with his daughters until an ICE encounter changed their lives forever. The 41-year-old had just dropped off his daughters at school and was only a few blocks away when federal agents appeared without warning and detained him on October 29, 2025.
The incident quickly spread across social media. It sparked immediate fear and uncertainty for his family, especially given that he had two minor daughters under his care. The two girls, however, are U.S. citizens, unlike their father. Upon his arrest, Ayuzo was transferred to Greene County Jail in Springfield, Missouri. An officer rejected his concerns as a parent of minors, a decision later upheld by an immigration judge. As of now, the businessman is set to be deported back to Mexico, a place he fears and left decades ago.
According to Ismael Ayuzo Sandoval’s defense attorney, Marleen Suarez, the businessman fears returning to his native country because of cartel violence. He has said that his cousin was murdered by drug traffickers, which he fears could happen to him and his children as well. The attorney argued that her client apprehends physical harm from these perpetrators, commonly referred to as narcos or cartel members in Mexico.
Caldera Bar and Grill owner Ismael Ayuzo Sandoval is sadly headed for wrongful deportation to Mexico as a result of the Trump Regime’s ICE goons taking him away on October 29th in Staunton.#FreeIsmael #StandWithIsmaelhttps://t.co/HCFJyPWSfl
— Justin Gibson (@JGibsonDem) December 30, 2025
Explaining her position, the attorney added, “Ayuzo stated that narcos would target him because he has been in the United States and is facing deportation to Mexico. They would assume he has money or access to money in the U.S. and would extort money under the threat of harm, death or being ‘disappeared’.” Ayuzo has also raised the worst-case scenario in which his daughters would join him on a return to Mexico.
It would place the minors at great risk if they were to reach his hometown of Santa Ana near the country’s border. The businessman already has firsthand experience with such violence, as his female cousin was abducted by traffickers as soon as she entered Mexico and was later murdered. Ismael’s attorney commented on the incident, stating, “She did not have what they wanted (probably money), and they cut her leg and killed her.”
Despite these claims and stated fears, the hearing officer has dismissed his claims. Additionally, since the ruling was upheld by an immigration officer last week, the restaurateur is expected to be deported to Mexico after six weeks in detention. Notably, as of Monday, Ismael Ayuzo Sandoval’s name was no longer listed on ICE’s locator website.
IMPERSONATING AN OFFICER OF THE COURT!
Shocking revelation from DHS!
A staffer in Sen. Tammy Duckworth’s (D-IL) office allegedly impersonated an attorney to help release Jose Ismael Ayuzo Sandoval, a 40-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico deported 4 times with a prior DUI… pic.twitter.com/iftRexzG4x
— Arkadalo™ (@Arkadalo) November 12, 2025
While Ayuzo’s legal options appear limited, he has nonetheless received strong community support due to his popularity as a restaurateur. On November 2, 2025, nearly 400 people rallied in Staunton to protest his detention by ICE. The rally was organized by the Macoupin County Indivisible group, which opposes harsh immigration policies.
Among the speakers at the rally, one of Ismael’s daughters emotionally pleaded for her father’s release. Other community members expressed frustration, emphasizing the restaurant owner’s positive contributions to the country over the past two decades.
During his detention, ICE cited a 2008 misdemeanor DUI and multiple border crossings in charging Ayuzo. Because there was no criminal conviction, his attorney said the federal agency was wrongly portraying him as a criminal. In her words, “In the end, he did not receive any type of criminal conviction. For them to characterize him as a criminal is really misleading the public.”
