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ICE deports survivor of New Orleans hotel collapse

By Danielle Haynes

Nov. 30 (UPI) -- The United States deported a construction worker who survived last month's hotel collapse in New Orleans, Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed Saturday.

The agency put Delmer Joel Ramirez Palma on a flight to Honduras on Friday morning after he spent about a month in a privately run detention center.

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Ramirez survived the Oct. 12 collapse of what was going to be the Hard Rock Hotel in New Orleans. The disaster killed two people, but Ramirez survived by jumping between floors of the building as the concrete and steel rained down around him.

Two days later, officials arrested him as he fished at a national wildlife refuge while recovering from his injuries.

Ramirez's lawyers accused officials of targeting their client for immigration action because he repeatedly lodged safety complaints during the construction of the hotel.

New Orleans Workers' Center for Racial Justice attorney Mary Yanik said Ramirez filed a written complaint with the Department of Labor, saying he noticed the building wasn't level and observed it visually moving several inches.

ICE acting press secretary Bryan Cox told The Washington Post that the government didn't target Ramirez.

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"Mr. Ramirez-Palma's latest application for a stay of removal had already been denied by ICE on Oct. 3, more than a week prior to the incident cited by his supporters," he said.

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