Narciso Barranco, father of three U.S. Marines, was granted bond Thursday by a federal immigration judge after being violently detained by CBP agents last month while working a landscaping job near a Santa Ana IHOP.
At the hearing, the government attorney appeared unprepared, telling the judge she lacked a physical copy of a document Barranco was to be served. Given five minutes to produce it, she claimed the clerks were unavailable. The judge then ordered her to retrieve the documents herself. According to observers, this attorney was not the same one who appeared at an earlier hearing on Tuesday.
A charge(s) against Barranco was sustained but quickly challenged by his attorney, who cited a pending Parole-in-Place petition filed earlier this month. His attorney requested bond be set at $1,500—the lowest amount—while the government pushed for bond denial or an amount of $13,000, citing Barranco’s lack of immigration status filings. The judge ultimately set bond at $3,000.
Charges against Barranco (pending clarity)
The Santanero cannot confirm how many charges and what the charges are against Narciso Barranco, however, one likely charge would be a civil violation due to his immigration status being undocumented and "here illegally."
With bond now granted, Barranco could be released as soon as Friday, or by Monday, July 14 at the latest.
The judge also gave the government until August 11 to file an appeal. A follow-up hearing on the sustained charge is set for August 14. No mention was made of release conditions like ankle monitoring, but may be determined upon release.
“The justice system served us today,” said Barranco’s lawyer.
A total of 22 people, including Barranco’s three sons, along with family, friends, and members of the Diocese of Orange, including Bishop Kevin Vann, attended the hearing. Many sat in silent prayer as the proceedings unfolded. Barranco appeared nervous but hopeful with his supporters behind him.
Afterward, his son Alejandro told The Santanero, “[I’m] happy he was allowed bond.”
The Santanero was able captured a photo of the Marine sons smiling outside the facility.
Once released, the family plans to take Barranco for a full medical check-up, due to injuries sustained during his detention, followed by enjoying carne asada—a favorite of his.
"I'm here because I am a Father of souls," said Bishop Kevin Vann. "That's why I wanted to be here and I am glad I was able to attend."
Alejandro noted that his father’s case is not unique and hopes his father's case begins to a positive domino effect in immigration reform.
Many immigration cases in Orange County involve undocumented parents with U.S.-born children, often with no criminal records, who have instilled strong values in their kids. Families like these have sacrificed greatly—leaving their homelands, missing the chance to see their parents grow old before they pass away—all in hope their children could thrive.
In Santa Ana, some families are even discussing “self-deportation” as a less dehumanizing alternative.
For many, they desire to stop living in fear because calls of the Motherland grow stronger. But cases like Barranco’s offer a glimmer of hope that change may be coming.
This article was corrected for grammar errors.
