Oswadeliz Núñez identified her son Daniel Núñez after he was killed in a Venezuelan earthquake following his deportation from the United States.
Oswadeliz Núñez successfully identified the body of her son, Daniel Núñez, following a devastating earthquake in Venezuela. Daniel Núñez had been deported from the United States after being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for a minor traffic violation. He arrived in Venezuela on the same day the disaster struck, where he was staying in a hotel that collapsed shortly after he spoke to his mother. Because the earthquake crushed his face, Oswadeliz Núñez relied on a tattoo Daniel Núñez received at age 24 to recognize him among the rubble. While the US Department of Homeland Security noted that ICE is no longer responsible for individuals once they leave its custody, Oswadeliz Núñez expressed frustration over the bureaucratic delays the family faced. She is now calling for the Venezuelan government to improve its protocols for returning deportees. Oswadeliz Núñez emphasized that because Daniel Núñez was not a criminal, she hopes his death will not go unpunished and that the government will treat future deportees with more humanity.