Laura Anderson married her detained fiancé at the Karnes County facility as she fights to keep him in the U.S. following his arrest by Border Patrol in Maine.
KARNES CITY, Texas — A Maine woman has traveled across the country to Texas after her husband, a Brazilian man, was arrested by Border Patrol in Maine last month during a traffic stop.
Laura Anderson said she knows his situation is not unique, but she has made it her mission to share their story as she fights to keep him in the country.
Last week, we met her in Karnes City—a quiet South Texas town with a population of just over 3,000.
“I didn’t even know Karnes City, Texas existed,” Anderson said.
Anderson never imagined she would be spending this sunny afternoon meeting with us, moments after obtaining a marriage license in a town she had no ties to—until now.
“It’s such a happy moment because I’m getting my marriage license,” she said. “But I’m also explaining to them that I need photocopies for ICE, so the looks I’m getting from the clerk’s office…”
Her now-husband, Lucas Segobia, has been held at the Karnes County Immigration Processing Center for more than 20 days.
“Oh, there are days I cry and scream. There are days where I’m like—‘Is this real life?’” Anderson said.
She said they had been engaged for months with no rush to the altar. But that changed on May 26, when her fiancé was a passenger in a vehicle that was pulled over.
“He got pulled over by a state trooper for an off-centered license plate,” she said.
When troopers learned Segobia had an expired visa, they called Border Patrol. Agents took both him and the driver—also from Brazil—into custody. A CBP spokesperson confirmed they were turned over to ICE for removal proceedings.
Anderson said she could not reach Segobia for nearly 24 hours. Eventually, she learned he was being transferred to Texas.
“You’re paying to house him now, down here,” Anderson said. “You’re paying all this money for him to go through this process, when in reality, he was always doing the right thing—and now you’re criminalizing him for a civil matter.”
She said Segobia came to the U.S. from Brazil about five years ago, along with his entire family. His only run-ins with the law, she said, were traffic violations.
“His visa expired, and his mother filed an I-130 petition for him as an adult child. We paid the money, we followed the process. His only blood relatives live here, and he was waiting.”
Now, with the help of an immigration attorney, Anderson is fighting to keep him in the U.S.
On Thursday, she officially married him—inside the brick walls of the detention center.
When asked if she fears he’ll be deported, she didn’t hesitate.
“Oh, 100%. Because I haven’t had any trust or faith in anything since the minute it started.”
According to CBS News, ICE is currently holding 59,000 immigrants across the country—nationwide detention is at 140% capacity.
Anderson said the Karnes County facility is no exception, claiming there are close to 2,000 people held there. ICE’s website lists the center’s capacity at 830.
When we asked about the population count, a spokesperson responded:
“We do not release population counts of our facilities or number of employees working there. Currently, there is no issue of overcrowding or understaffing.”
CBS also reported that nearly half of the people detained by ICE do not have a criminal record.
“If they’re committing a crime, of course—call officers, call Border Patrol,” Anderson said. “But if they’re not doing anything but going to work, driving in a car, walking down the street—that is no reason to detain anybody. That is a complete violation of not only human rights, but constitutional rights to due process.”
Segobia’s initial immigration hearing is scheduled for next month. Anderson said they have still not been told what charges—if any—he is facing. We reached out to ICE for updates but have not yet heard back.
In the meantime, Anderson says she plans to stay nearby.
“Wherever he goes, I will find where he goes—and I will go there.”