New Jersey restaurant owner, father of 3 detained by ICE despite work authorization

ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, New Jersey -- A community in New Jersey is rallying behind a long-time restaurant owner with a work visa after he was detained by ICE.

Ruperto Vicens Marquez, co-owner and chef of Emilio's Kitchen in Atlantic Highlands, is a father of three young children. He has spent nearly two decades in the U.S., and people who know him say he's well respected.

"I don't understand. You know, we got permission to be here to work," said Emilio Vicens Marquez, Ruperto's brother.

Hard work paid off for the two brothers, who are business owners and best of friends. The immigrants from Mexico have earned the reputation of one of the most beloved restaurants in the town.

"Now, I've got two restaurants with no head chef," Emilio said.

The head chef and younger brother, Ruperto, is now in ICE custody at Delaney Hall in Newark. The 38-year-old father of three was pulled over and arrested the Sunday before last.

"He just called me to say, like, really fast. 'I guess I'm in a detention center and that's all I wanted you to know, that ICE picked me up,'" Ruperto's brother recalled.

Ruperto has been in the country for 18 years, and his work authorization was renewed just a year ago, expiring in 2029.

"My police department had no idea that ICE was in our town at 6:30 in the morning last Sunday," Atlantic Highlands Mayor Lori Hohenleitner said.

The town mayor was among dozens of people on Ruperto's side, holding a rally Monday night. More than 60 people have written letters on his behalf.

"This is the most generous, beloved family. So, they could not have chosen someone worse," Hohenleitner said.

Many community members, like business owner Leo Cervantes, resonated with Ruperto's story.

"I came to tell the lady that anything they need. They need cook -- my son, myself, will be here to cook for them," Cervantes said.

Marquez's brother Emilio, who has been in the U.S. for 27 years now, feels like he's back at square one.

"In our town and towns around, we saw people going to the authorities to say, 'What is happening?' The next day, someone from the family disappears," he said. "So, I decided to come to this country. So, now, when this is happening, I feel like we have no place where to go."

A detention hearing is scheduled for Nov. 17. Ruperto's attorney says he should never have been arrested in the first place, and that they are working to get him released before the hearing.