John Gannon, a 75-year-old Texas businessman and lifelong Republican, expressed deep regret over his vote for President Trump after his fiancée, Yasmin Suarez Reyes, was arrested and detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in late July 2026.

Gannon said his plans to marry the 45-year-old immigrant from Venezuela were derailed when Suarez Reyes was taken into custody at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport. The couple had planned to travel from Houston to Las Vegas on July 24 for a furniture industry convention.

After passing through security, Gannon said his fiancée was arrested by plainclothes ICE agents. He described how eight officers swarmed and detained her without explanation, forcibly placing her into a vehicle.

Suarez Reyes was born in Venezuela but holds Spanish citizenship, which under a visa-free arrangement allows entry to the U.S. as a tourist or temporary traveler. Documents show she lawfully entered the U.S. on October 24, 2023, but overstayed her admission, which expired on January 19, 2024.

Gannon, who owns over 1,000 billboards in the U.S. and several businesses in Mexico, criticized ICE's actions, stating, "Go after the criminals. We're all for that. But leave the mom and pops and the kids alone. Man, he's destroying families."

Asked what he would say to President Trump if given the chance, Gannon said he would ask, "What are you doing?"

Sources

Camilo Montoya-Galvez, Immigration Correspondent at CBS News, reported on the incident, which was featured across CBS platforms including national broadcasts and CBSNews.com.

Source: CBS News

Published: August 7, 2026

Author: Camilo Montoya-Galvez