Westside gardener self-deports after ICE detention, community rallies to help family

Neighbors raise money after landscaper with serious health issues leaves the U.S.

Westside residents are raising money and seeking legal guidance for a longtime Los Angeles gardener who self-deported to Mexico after being detained by federal immigration agents while working in the neighborhood, as reported by NBC 4 News and KTLA.

Alberto Cabral, 73, was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Jan. 7 while working in a yard, according to neighbors and clients. Cabral came to the United States from Mexico as a teenager and has lived in the Los Angeles area for nearly six decades. People close to him said he has no remaining family or support system in Mexico.

Cabral built a steady landscaping business over decades, working for households in Westwood, West Hollywood, and the Hollywood Hills. Clients said he became a familiar, trusted presence on local blocks and that he showed up week after week, often to the same homes for years.

Neighbors and clients said Cabral has serious medical conditions, including heart disease and diabetes, and relies on multiple daily medications, including a blood thinner prescribed to reduce the risk of stroke. In recent weeks, they said, Cabral continued to work despite significant injuries, including fractures to his lower leg and tailbone. He also had an open wound on his lower leg, which supporters said raised concerns about infection and complications associated with diabetes.

A homeowner who witnessed the detention said Cabral asked agents to handle him carefully because of his injuries.

Family members and neighbors said Cabral was the primary source of income and caregiver for his 97-year-old mother and his 70-year-old wife, both of whom live in Los Angeles and depend on him financially and emotionally.

Supporters said Cabral chose self-deportation after his detention and ongoing medical concerns. Neighbors said they fear his health could worsen if his care and medications are interrupted and that they are working with an immigration attorney to better understand what options may still be available.

Community members started a GoFundMe to help Cabral’s family manage expenses in his absence, describing him as a fixture in the neighborhood and someone they considered part of the community.