Father of 3 U.S. Marines Has Deportation Case Dropped
Immigration Judge Dismisses Deportation Case Against Orange County Landscaper
An immigration judge has dismissed the deportation case against Narciso Barranco, a 48-year-old landscaper from Orange County, whose violent arrest outside a Santa Ana IHOP last year garnered national attention.
Barranco, an undocumented immigrant and father of three sons who have served in the U.S. Marine Corps, was apprehended by federal agents in June 2025. Video footage of the incident showed him being forced to the ground and subjected to physical violence during the arrest.
On Thursday, Barranco’s attorney announced via social media that the judge’s ruling eliminates the immediate threat of deportation, although Barranco’s legal process remains ongoing.
Alejandro Barranco, one of Narciso’s sons, previously shared with NBC Los Angeles the family’s application for the Parole in Place program, designed to simplify the path to residency and citizenship for undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens.
A family spokesperson revealed that Barranco has been in therapy since the arrest, highlighting the emotional toll the experience has taken on him.
In the wake of his June arrest, the Department of Homeland Security alleged that Barranco assaulted a federal agent with a weed whacker. However, his family contested this claim, asserting that he was defending himself against pepper spray while surrounded by armed agents.
After spending approximately one month in detention, Barranco was released in July 2025, expressing gratitude toward his community for their support. "I don’t have words to truly express what I feel in my heart, so I humbly say thank you," he stated in Spanish. "To the press, thank you for telling my story, one among so many that deserve to be heard. You’re the eyes of our society. Thank you for not closing them."
Since Barranco’s ordeal made headlines, it has become a significant point of discussion in the larger debate surrounding immigration policies under the Trump administration. Alejandro Barranco has been actively engaging with lawmakers to advocate for improved pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants like his father.
"The country he devoted his life to, the country his sons now serve, beat him senselessly for working to provide for his family," Alejandro, a veteran who served in Afghanistan, remarked last year. "Immigrants like my father aren’t a threat. They raise our nurses, our teachers, and our Marines."
