IT Worker Lured To Fix Border Patrol Systems — Then Arrested By The Very Agents Who Hired Him

A seasoned IT professional was handcuffed and taken into immigration custody at the very facility he was contracted to assist, turning a routine technical call into a stark illustration of deep fissures in U.S. immigration enforcement and border agency protocols.

Angel Camacho, a 43-year-old Venezuelan systems engineer with a master's degree in telecommunications, arrived at the U.S. Border Patrol station in Dania Beach, Florida, expecting to perform a routine technical site survey for a new intercom system when he was immediately detained by agents, court records and interviews show.

Contracted To Work, Trapped In Detention

Camacho's ordeal began when his employer, a private contractor, received an assignment to perform technical work at the Border Patrol facility. The company submitted Camacho's driver's licence to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in advance for security screening. A CBP employee responded on 05 January 2026 that he was 'approved' for entry, with instructions only to confirm his arrival time.

On 06 January 2026, Camacho reported for scheduled work. 'I say, 'Good morning. I'm Angel.' And they say, 'Oh yes, we are waiting for you,' he told NBC6 Investigates in an interview, describing his shock when Border Patrol agents then informed him he was being detained.

Moments after arriving to fulfil the contracted task, he was placed in handcuffs by federal agents. 'They say, 'I have to detain you.' I said, 'What are you? Joking?' Camacho said in the interview.

Life Built in the U.S., No Criminal Record

Camacho's family and legal records depict a man who established deep roots in the United States over nearly a decade. He first entered the country in 2016 on a tourist visa and later obtained Temporary Protected Status (TPS), allowing him to live and work legally. He is married to a U.S. citizen and they are raising children who are American citizens together. He holds a valid work permit, Social Security number and driver's licence, and pays U.S. taxes annually.

Despite this, Camacho does not have lawful permanent resident status or U.S. citizenship, which under current federal enforcement policies rendered him liable for immigration detention when encountered by authorities without immigration status.

Immigration attorneys note that individuals with similar immigration histories and legal work authorisation typically would not expect arrest in routine circumstances, and that Camacho's situation has sparked questions about how immigration status interacts with contract employment at sensitive federal facilities.

'Alligator Alcatraz' and the Escalation of Immigration Enforcement

After his arrest at the Dania Beach Border Patrol station, Camacho spent one night in a CBP holding area before being moved to the ICE detention facility in the Florida Everglades commonly referred to by detainees and civil rights advocates as 'Alligator Alcatraz'.

The centre, opened in July 2025, was promoted by federal officials as a facility for holding 'some of the most menacing migrants, some of the most vicious people on the planet'. However, internal data reviewed by NBC6 Investigates indicated that only around one in four men held there had a criminal conviction and only 7 per cent had violent crime convictions.

Former detainees and immigrant rights lawyers have documented harsh conditions and frequent legal challenges in federal courts over detention practices at the facility and others like it. A notable rise in habeas corpus petitions seeking release of detainees with no criminal histories reflects mounting resistance to enforcement practices that detain non-citizens far from any border crossing point.

Legal Fight and Release on Bond

Camacho's release arose not from an internal review by CBP or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), but from a federal habeas corpus petition filed on his behalf. Habeas corpus is a constitutional mechanism that requires the government to justify the legality of a person's detention before a judge.

Because Camacho originally entered the U.S. lawfully on a visa and had subsequent authorised status, the court granted bond, and he was released after approximately 30 days' detention upon posting a £4,000 ($5,000) bond. He was fitted with an ankle monitor as part of his release conditions.

In his interview with NBC6 Investigates, Camacho questioned the justification for his detention. 'Am I a threat to America? Come on. No. I think I've been doing the right things since I came here,' he said, summarising his disbelief and frustration at the treatment he received.

Enforcement Without Transparency

CBP public affairs has been contacted for comment on Camacho's detention but had not provided a response by the time of publication. The lack of timely official explanation exacerbates concern among immigrant advocates that routine immigration enforcement is increasingly opaque and encompassing individuals with legal work status.

The incident arrives amid broader debates on U.S. immigration policy, where enforcement priorities and interpretations of lawful presence have evolved under recent federal administrations. Critics argue that policy shifts have broadened the range of non-citizens subject to detention and dampened access to bond hearings for those apprehended far from international borders.

Camacho's case underscores the tension between federal authority and individual rights, raising urgent questions about oversight, due process and the treatment of immigrant workers contracted to support public operations.

His story is now part of a growing catalogue of legal challenges alleging that immigration enforcement has ensnared individuals who possess lawful work authorisation yet remain vulnerable to detention and prolonged custody.

The public and policymakers are left to reckon with how such episodes reflect on the rule of law and the practical consequences of immigration enforcement strategies that can lead to a professional's abrupt transition from a job assignment to detention.