PORTLAND — A Naples woman says that her husband, a Guatemalan who has lived in the U.S. for over 20 years and was seized by immigration officials outside their home last month, could be deported as soon as this week.

At a May 10 press conference, Sandra Scribner Merlim provided an update on her husband Otto Morales-Caballeros’ case and the challenges they have faced since the 37-year-old’s detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. 

“We’re at the the final stage of his presence here in the U.S., this is it. Unfortunately, we lost our battle to keep him here in the U.S.,” Merlim said. “With me, our four little rescue dogs, our family, friends and coworkers – even our community in Naples – are all horrified in disbelief. This is just a nightmare I keep trying to wake up from.”

ICE detained Morales-Caballeros April 12 based on a previous conviction and deportation order.

Merlim described the scene on the morning of her husband’s detention and the legal fight that ensued, nearly breaking down at one point when detailing how she had left his favorite belongings – including his boots, fishing pole, recliner and L.L. Bean down jacket – exactly as they were that morning. 

“When our new president said he was going to take out just the violent criminals and the ‘bad hombres,’ they weren’t talking about my husband,” said Merlim, who criticized the new administration for its crackdown on immigration laws. “My husband’s only crime was wanting to live here and to work hard for a living. But our government tore our family apart.” 

“I fully agree with taking out people that don’t deserve to be here and are violent criminals,” she said. “My husband is not one of those.” 

Merlim said Wednesday that her husband was being held in Louisiana, and could be deported as soon as Thursday. 

Shawn Neudauer, a public affairs officer with the Department of Homeland Security, said as of Wednesday that Morales-Caballeros was in an ICE facility in Louisiana and that “his removal is deemed imminent.” ICE is part of DHS. 

When reached for comment in April after Morales-Caballeros’ initial detention, Neudauer said it came as a result of an outstanding removal order issued in 2010 by a federal immigration judge, along with a 2013 conviction for using fraudulent documents. 

“On April 12, ICE officers arrested Otto Morales-Caballeros, a citizen of Guatemala, on an outstanding removal order issued by a federal immigration judge in 2010,” Neudauer said in an April 18 email. “Otto Morales-Caballeros was convicted on federal charges of felony use of fraudulent documents in 2013. As a criminal alien with a lawful final order of removal he will remain in ICE custody pending his removal from the United States.”

According to Merlim, Morales-Caballeros’ spent about 18 weeks in jail in 2013 on charges stemming from the use of fraudulent documents. She said that he obtained a fake Social Security number in order to work, and eventually pleaded guilty when he believed it was the only way to get out of jail. 

“He had no choice,” she said. “When he signed the guilty plea, he just wanted to get out of jail, go back to work and come back home to me.” 

Merlim also said that her husband then cooperated with DHS and ICE after his 2013 arrest and had “a verbal agreement” with DHS that he could stay in the country with his legal situation somewhat in limbo. DHS spokesman Neudauer did not respond directly to a question about the verbal agreement that Merlim says was made. 

Matt Bellerose, the general manager at Sea Salt Lobster Co. in Saco where Morales-Caballeros worked before being detained last month, said in a phone interview that Morales-Caballeros was a “great employee” who “worked hard, just tried to make a life for himself.” 

Bellerose said that he was surprised by the detention because Morales-Caballeros was given the proper work documentation after cooperating with authorities in 2013. He also said the company would be happy to have Morales-Caballeros back if he is allowed to legally work in the U.S. again. 

“If his work status was cleared, we definitely would,” Bellerose said. 

Merlim says that the fight is not over, and that she is hoping to find a new immigration lawyer in order to pursue other options to bring her husband back the U.S. legally.

The couple married in 2015 and have been together for 11 years. 

Merlim said Morales-Caballeros does still have some family in Guatemala – his elderly mother, sister and some nieces and nephews – but that he hasn’t been back there since leaving at the end of the country’s long civil war in the 1990s. 

“Please know that Otto is also a Mainer. He has lived and worked here for many years,” Merlim said during the press conference. “He has strong Maine values and strong family values. He loves our state just as he loves this country, as much as we all do.” 

Matt Junker can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 123 or mjunker@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @MattJunker.

Sandra Scribner Merlim of Naples provides an update on her husband Otto Morales-Caballeros’ immigration case at a press conference in Portland.