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Mexican Immigrant Fighting Deportation, Fears He'll Be Killed By Drug Cartels

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A 42-year-old undocumented Chicago resident is asking an immigration judge to allow him to stay here, claiming he'll be killed by drug traffickers if he's sent back to Mexico.

WBBM Newsradio's Mike Krauser reports Octavio Cabrera has been in Chicago illegally for 23 years.

Supporter Antonio Gutierrez said a Melrose Park police officer pulled Cabrera over in March for running a stop sign.

"She was really upset with Octavio, because she realized he was undocumented, because he didn't have a license," Gutierrez said.

Immigrant Fears Drug Cartels Will Kill Him If He's Deported

He said the officer did not write a ticket, but three weeks later, Cabrera was detained by agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which began deportation proceedings.

Gutierrez said Cabrera is now seeking asylum, and is representing himself in court.

"What he's trying to prove right now is that he's very afraid to go back to Mexico, because one family member in the little town where he's from … he was killed by the cartels," he said.

Gutierrez said Cabrera would be viewed as an American by the cartels, because he's been gone from Mexico for so long.

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