"He's had his day in court," said ICE spokeswoman Lori Haley. "He had a final deportation order that he failed to comply with. He was a fugitive."

Armando's wife has a copy of a petition that his sister filed on his behalf in 1998. She said she understood it to be proof of his legal status. ICE, however, said that he had "no basis to remain in the country."

Alma has an active visa, while Diego's visa recently expired. The mother does not have money to renew the visa. Under these circumstances, the two do not plan on remaining in Utah long.

"My plan is to move to Mexico to be with my husband," she said.

They leave today for Mexico, and the impact on the family will be substantial.

No one feels this weight more than Diego, Armando's son. Shortly after his birth in Mexicali, Mexico, the family moved to California. Young Diego grew up in the United States. He has not learned to read and write Spanish fluently.

"I figure it will be harder to catch up in school there," the boy said. "I don't know what's going to happen."

Diego misses his father watching his baseball games. He does not completely understand what happened to his father and why he had to leave.

"He didn't really do anything bad," said 14-year-old Diego. "(They should be deported) if they do a criminal thing, but not if they just came here to work."

Now in Mexico, Armando wants to take an eye for an eye.

"I want to go to the border," he said. "I want to stop white people from coming in. It has to be equal."

The immigration judge ordered one thing, Armando says he understood another. Language barriers add to the already complicated deportation process. Many don't understand Armando's apprehension and deportation.

The government "should not simply say 'We're going to take you' without investigating," said Miriam Chavez, a neighbor of the family. "I think there has to be something more specific. ICE should look into it and find out if he is protected."

Armando now waits for his family in San Luis.

"If I kill myself in the street, it will be ICE's fault," Armando said.

His son's attitude has a different tone.

"I figure I can't do anything about it," Diego said. "We just have to go along and continue."

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E-mail: amarshall@desnews.com