“Tiger King” Joe Exotic has said his husband was deported to Mexico and has pleaded with President Donald Trump to intervene.
Exotic appealed to the president in a post on X, formerly Twitter, writing, “Just let me go to Mexico and you can keep Carole Baskin.”
Why It Matters
The former zookeeper is serving a 21-year prison sentence for animal abuse and plotting to kill Carole Baskin, his longtime rival. He has repeatedly requested that the president issue a pardon to absolve him of wrongdoing.
The Trump administration is carrying out a hard-line immigration policy to remove millions of undocumented immigrants.
What To Know
According to TMZ, 33-year-old Jorge Marquez Flores was deported to Mexico after completing a sentence in federal prison for residing unlawfully in the United States.
Joseph Allen Maldonado, known as Joe Exotic and “the Tiger King,” rose to prominence following a 2020 Netflix series about his life.
The 62-year-old, who publicly shared news of his marriage to Flores in April, had appealed to Trump for assistance in preventing Flores’ deportation.
On May 10, Exotic took to X and offered to give the U.S. government half of his earnings in exchange for a way to reunite and live with Flores in the United States.
Exotic also offered to buy one of Trump’s $5 million gold cards as a way to secure his husband’s return to the United States. Trump’s proposed “gold card” program would grant U.S. residency to those who invest $5 million in the country.
Following Flores’ deportation, Exotic once again pleaded for his release, hoping to reunite with his husband.
The deportation occurred after Exotic shared on social media that Flores had been transferred to an immigration detention facility for a hearing to decide whether he would remain in the United States or be returned to Mexico.
Exotic and Flores were engaged in October and married earlier this year.
What People Are Saying
Joe Exotic wrote in a post on X on Sunday: “Rough day getting around. The ICE agents didn’t understand why he got sent back so fast. He had s hearing scheduled for tomorrow. @realdonaldtrum just let me go to Mexico and you can keep Carole Baskin. I’m exhausted trying to figure out why you won’t listen to the evidence.”
He wrote in a post on May 10: “It’s all about dollars right? I’m willing to work for my freedom and his right to live his life with me because this corrupt system doesn’t give a rats a** about being innocent, you of all people should know that.”
What Happens Next
Exotic, who remains incarcerated, continues to plead for a pardon and for his husband to be returned to the U.S.
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