A Florida woman who once proudly supported Donald Trump is now pleading for mercy after her terminally ill father was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
In a viral TikTok video posted June 16, Cynthia Hotom admitted she voted for Trump and now regrets it deeply, calling it the choice that helped destroy her own family. Her tearful plea asked authorities to release her father, who has lived in Florida for over 30 years and is battling a life-threatening illness.
Hotom said the very system she once supported is now keeping her from saying goodbye to the man who raised her.
ICE detained her dying father after routine check
According to Hotom, ICE arrested her father during a routine check, despite his long residency and clean record. She said his only issue was unresolved immigration paperwork — not violence or crime.
He was taken to a facility more than an hour away. Hotom told GLOBE Magazine she fears he is not receiving the urgent medical care he needs. She said all they want is to bring him home to spend whatever time he has left with the family.
A source familiar with the case confirmed to GLOBE Magazine that the father’s detention was flagged as part of an internal sweep tied to tightened Trump-era policies still being enforced under current operations.
Voter regret ignites online backlash
Hotom’s emotional confession that she voted for Trump set off a firestorm online. Some users called her out for backing policies that now hurt her family. Others showed sympathy, but most of the internet showed little patience.
You voted for this was the top comment on several reposts of her video. Still, Hotom said she refuses to shift blame. She admitted she believed in conservative talking points about the economy and crime and even stopped teaching her daughter Spanish to blend in.
Hotom said she finally realized how much she had turned her back on her identity and her people. Since her father’s arrest, she has started speaking Spanish with her children again and engaging with immigrant rights groups.
Turning shame into activism
Since her video went viral, Hotom has attended community meetings and partnered with advocacy organizations focused on immigration reform. She has used her TikTok platform to share updates and urge others to speak out before it’s too late.
She said she no longer seeks pity but hopes her experience warns others. She told GLOBE Magazine that the guilt she feels is overwhelming, but silence would only deepen her shame.
As her father remains behind bars, Hotom says she is haunted by one thought she can’t escape — she helped build the cage he’s now dying in.
Jaja has a degree in journalism and took classes in international law and business communication. Her career spans roles at prominent international media outlets, including International Business Times, Celebeat and Delightful Philippines. As a news editor, Jaja covered a wide range of beats, including legal, business, economy, cryptocurrency, personal finance, gaming, technology, and entertainment.