An immigration enforcement arrest in Plainview has left a family traumatized and raises concerns about mental health impacts of family separation. Juan Bonilla Lagos, 32, a native of Colombia who arrived illegally in 2022, was arrested from his car in October while with his 5-year-old son and wife during a standoff lasting 12 minutes. The episode has triggered severe mental health consequences for the entire household.
The man, who has no criminal record and maintains a pending asylum application, has been held for seven months in Immigration and Customs Enforcement jails. According to him and his wife, he has attempted suicide three times while detained. An ICE document confirmed that Bonilla Lagos, who has a history of clinical depression, was placed on suicide watch for a week in March at the detention facility in Batavia near Buffalo.
Mental health professionals treating immigrant families report soaring rates of depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Miriam Denmark, a Colorado-based licensed clinical social worker, said in her 15 years of practice, “I’ve never seen so much disruption and trauma inflicted on families.” Suicides in ICE jails have increased significantly: four occurred in 2025 and five in the first few months of 2026, compared with one during President Joe Biden’s entire 2021-2025 term.
The family’s distress extends to the children. His 5-year-old son has recurring dreams of his father’s return and often wakes asking if he has come home. The 10-year-old daughter is depressed and sees a school psychologist twice weekly. Bonilla Lagos told Newsday he struggles with despair and deteriorating hope while confined, describing how he cries throughout many days and contemplates not continuing to live.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.newsday.com/long-island/ice-mental-health-long-island-deport-plainview-mok6bxxx