He reportedly answered “no” to whether he had ever sold or smuggled drugs, despite a past drug-related arrest as a teenager.
Hernan Rafael Castro, a legal U.S. resident for over 20 years, was arrested on May 31 for allegedly making a false statement on his 2022 naturalization application, according to court records reviewed by Newsweek.
He reportedly answered “no” to whether he had ever sold or smuggled drugs, despite a past drug-related arrest as a teenager.
A May 28 indictment from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Arizona stated Castro “knowingly made a false certification” on the citizenship form. He pleaded not guilty in June and remains in U.S. Marshals custody. His future in the U.S. now depends on the case’s outcome.
“This case highlights a significant issue in our current immigration system,” said Casiana Omick, a friend, on GoFundMe. “Hernan is being unjustly punished despite going through all the legal avenues of citizenship.”
ICE states that lying on immigration forms can lead to prosecution and removal. Castro’s detention hearing, initially set for July 30, has been rescheduled for August 20 in Tucson.
Castro, known for his mushroom business “Desert Alchemist,” has received over $33,000 in community support through GoFundMe.