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The family of Romulo Avelica-Gonzalez, an immigrant in the country illegally whose case has drawn international media attention, was devastated to learn that he could be deported as early as next week.

Fatima Avelica, left, with sister Yuleni, mother Norma and aunt Martina Avelica earlier this month at L.A. Superior Court to support her father, Romulo Avelica-Gonzalez, an immigrant who was detained by ICE agents as he drove her to school in Highland Park. (Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Avelica-Gonzalez, 49, has been held at a federal detention facility since Feb. 28, when immigration agents arrested him minutes after he dropped off his 12-year-old daughter at her Lincoln Heights school.

Lawyers for Avelica-Gonzalez in June settled the two decades-old misdemeanor convictions — for driving under the influence and for receiving stolen car tags — that prompted his arrest. He pleaded guilty to lesser vehicle code violations.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials had cited a deportation order based on the former convictions as the reason for picking him up in February. His lawyers had hoped that with the changes, ICE would grant his release and cancel his deportation order.

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