A former beauty queen in Hawaii is pleading for immigration officials to spare her husband from deportation, saying she depends on him for daily survival after he was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Husband Detained After Case Reopened
Cheryl Bartlett, 63, who was crowned Miss Hawaii in 1986, says her husband of 17 years, Rogerio Carlos Barbosa Araujo, 58, was taken into custody by Homeland Security officers on Oct. 28 while she was performing at a wedding in Waikiki. Officers allegedly detained him in their apartment parking lot.
Araujo is now being held at the Honolulu Federal Detention Center and faces deportation to Brazil after his long-dormant immigration case was reopened following a change in federal administration.
Years of Administrative Grace Revoked
For more than a decade, Araujo’s case had been administratively closed, a form of prosecutorial discretion that paused deportation proceedings because Bartlett is blind and medically vulnerable.
The couple had attempted to adjust Araujo’s immigration status after marrying in 2009, but his application was denied in 2012 due to what authorities described as an earlier administrative error tied to past employment. Despite that denial, the couple was allowed to remain together under immigration court discretion for 12 years.
That protection was later rescinded, and when Araujo allegedly missed a court hearing the couple says they were never notified about, a judge issued a final deportation order.
Severe Medical Dependence
Bartlett, a retired speech-language therapist and singer, lives with multiple serious health conditions. Diagnosed with type one diabetes at age six, she later developed diabetic retinopathy that caused severe vision loss. She also has stage three chronic kidney disease.
She relies on an insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor and says her husband serves as her primary caregiver, helping manage dangerous hypoglycemic episodes and administering emergency medication when she becomes disoriented or unconscious.
“He knows what to do when I’m in trouble,” Bartlett said, describing him as both her caregiver and mobility support.
Deportation Would Create Life-Threatening Hardship
Bartlett says relocating to Brazil is not an option because her medical equipment and supplies are not available there. She now lives on Social Security and a pension after leaving her career due to worsening vision.
In addition to caring for Bartlett, Araujo also helps support his 84-year-old mother, a U.S. citizen, as well as Bartlett’s elderly parents, including her father, a Navy veteran with PTSD.
Emotional Toll of Detention
Bartlett says her husband’s mental health has deteriorated in detention, with his mood shifting between depression and resolve.
“His whole life was taken within the span of a few minutes,” she said. “This man deserves to live and to have a full and happy life with me.”
The couple is asking ICE to reinstate administrative grace based on extreme medical and family hardship. ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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