ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – At just 19-years-old, Jose Hermosillo, was detained for multiple days in Tucson after not being able to provide his birth certificate to an officer.

KOB 4 got the chance to talk with Hermosillo Tuesday about his story and how he made it back home.

What started as a trip to visit family in Tucson, Arizona, quickly turned into a nightmare for Hermosillo from Albuquerque.

“I was just walking around in the city in Tucson,” said Hermosillo. 

During that stroll, Hermosillo says he was approached by an officer questioning his legal status.

“He said, ‘Where are you from?’ And I said, ‘New Mexico.’ ‘Can you show me a birth certificate?’” said Hermosillo.

He didn’t have ID with him. That’s when Hermosillo found himself handcuffed and charged with illegally entering the United States. 

“They were saying I’m from Mexico, but I’m a U.S. citizen,” Hermosillo said. 

No matter how many times Hermosillo told Border Patrol agents he’s a U.S. citizen, they did not believe him. Eventually, he found himself sitting in the Florence Correctional Center, cold, hungry and terrified.

“They took me to Florence to the jail. And the jail, it’s cold in there, and I got sick for one day. And because in jail, they don’t threat you good, and the food is cold,” said Hermosillo.

As Hermosillo began to lose hope, his family got to work. His girlfriend’s aunt provided officials with Hermosillo’s birth certificate and social security card.

Finally, after 10 long days filled with uncertainty and despair, Hermosillo was released to go home to his family.

“I feel happy when I came home, and my mom she cried when she saw me,” said Hermosillo.

For Rebecca Sheff, senior staff lawyer at the ACLU of New Mexico, the most troubling thing in this case is the inconsistency in the police reports being released by Homeland Security.

“How it appears that Homeland Security keeps changing their story according to what’s been publicly reported, why it took 10 days for this father of a young child to come home,” said Sheff. 

As the search for answers continues, Hermosillo and Scheff are urging people to be careful and take necessary precautions.

“For people to be careful in Tucson. To take their birth certificate and their social security,” Hermosillo said.

“I think folks just need to be cautious and savvy. Knowing your rights is the best way to keep you and your loved one’s safe,” said Scheff.

Hermosillo’s experience is not unique, as there has been an increase in U.S. citizens being detained and questioned by immigration enforcement officers regarding their legal status.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services recommends that people keep documents like their birth certificate, social security cards, green cards or other documentation with them so they can prove their citizenship if questioned.