A Beaverton family is grieving the loss of a 53-year-old father who died of pneumonia in Mexico after being detained and deported by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to local media reports and family statements.
Eric Martin San Juan said his father, Paulino Martin San Pedro, was detained in Oregon in November and deported within days to Mexico, a country he had not lived in for more than 30 years. Shortly after arriving, San Pedro was hospitalised and later died on February 16 due to pneumonia.
San Juan believes his father’s condition worsened because of the detention and sudden deportation, which separated him from his support system.
“I think if we fought it here, he would have had a better chance,” San Juan told local media. “He would have been with his family, with the people who cared for him, instead of being sent somewhere unfamiliar after three decades.”
The grieving son said the deportation left the family devastated and struggling emotionally and financially.
“The day my dad was taken, it felt like he had already died,” he said. “They threw my dad out like an animal, and now I have no dad.”
San Pedro’s deportation came as his family was attempting legal efforts to prevent his removal and secure his return home. During his hospitalisation in Mexico, relatives faced mounting medical and legal expenses.
San Juan said the loss has deeply affected multiple generations of the family.
“My sister doesn’t have anyone to walk her down the aisle. My children won’t have their grandfather. We’ve lost the backbone of our family,” he said.
Family members travelled to Mexico earlier this month to say their final goodbyes. They are now planning to hold a vigil in Beaverton to honour San Pedro’s life and legacy.
A fundraiser launched to help cover funeral and related expenses has raised more than USD 50,000 of its USD 70,000 goal. The fundraiser describes San Pedro as “a man who did everything for his family,” adding that he “loved deeply and showed up for everyone without hesitation.”
Despite the tragedy, San Juan said his father’s influence continues to guide him.
“He built me into who I am today,” he said. “He always figured things out, and I know I’ll carry that strength forward.”
The family said they hope to focus on celebrating his life while coping with what they describe as an irreversible loss caused by deportation and separation.
