ORLANDO, Fla. — Two men who spent years performing at theme parks across Central Florida are in an Arizona detention facility.
Agustin Baccega and Gustavo Romanello were taken into custody at an airport in Phoenix on Saturday. Both men are natives of Argentina and traveled to the area to visit a friend who received hospice care.
Friends and fellow performers tell us Baccega and Romanello had a valid work permit allowing them to legally work in the U.S., and they had proof of their status with them at the time of their arrest.
“The minute I heard about it, I dropped everything,” said Alexa Neilen, a friend of both men. “I told all of my bosses, ‘I’m so sorry, you know, I can’t be at any of my jobs right now. I need to help my friends.’ “
Neilen sifted through several boxes of documents and sent proof of Baccega’s and Romanello’s status to lawyers working on their respective cases.
According to Neilen, both men had proof of their valid work permits on them when they were detained. She also said that Baccega and Romanello applied for asylum when they came to the U.S. in 2020 and that the case is still under review.
Another friend and fellow performer said the arrests went too far. “The purpose of these measures is to ensure that our country, our borders, our cities, our states are safe,” said Preston Ellis. “These are not those people. These are the kindest, gentlest, hardest-working people you’re ever liable to meet.”
A spokesman for the Phoenix ICE office was quoted as saying valid work permits don’t prevent Baccega and Romano from being detained.
Neilen said she contacted Congressmen Darren Soto and Maxwell Frost for help with these cases.
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