Cleon Williams, the “Uncle Lou” of Uncle Lou’s Entertainment Hall, will voluntarily leave the U.S. rather than further contest an immigration judge’s Monday order for his removal.
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The Orlando music stalwart’s decision to “self-deport” to his native Jamaica ends his highly-publicized bid to stay in the country. His attorney said Williams is “moving forward with dignity.”
Undercover agents with the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, or ABT, arrested Williams on May 9 during an investigation into illegal liquor sales at his Mills District venue.
Williams, who arrived in the U.S, 1987 on a since-expired temporary worker’s visa, was charged with a second-degree misdemeanor, which is typically handled without an arrest. The Orlando Police Department instead took him to jail, where he was booked on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer request.
Days after his arrest, a federal judge rejected his bid for release despite concerns over a weeklong delay in handing him over to immigration authorities. By that time, he was in ICE custody at the Baker County Detention Center in Macclenny.
The ruling struck a fatal blow to his ultimate chances at remaining in the U.S., as an immigration judge ruled he was not eligible for a bond that would have freed him while his case proceeded.
His attorney, Phillip Arroyo, said in a lengthy statement lat Tuesday that Williams was left “with few viable paths forward.”
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“While this decision was not made lightly, Mr. Williams is at peace with his choice and is focused on moving forward with dignity,” Arroyo said. “… Mr. Williams leaves with the love and support of his family and the Orlando community. We remain hopeful that he will one day be able to return to the United States when this dark chapter in our country’s history finally comes to an end.”
Known colloquially as self-deportation, a voluntary departure rather an official removal makes it easier for Williams to return in the future.
The misdemeanor case is ongoing in Orange County court as of Wednesday. It remains unclear what prompted authorities to target Uncle Lou’s Entertainment Hall.
Given his status as an icon of Orlando’s indie music scene, Williams’ arrest rocked the community and called the attention of local lawmakers demanding his release. A GoFundMe page seeking to raise money for his legal costs collected more than $60,000 in donations.
With Williams’ decision to leave, the money will be used to cover his remaining expenses ahead of his departure as well as to help him resettle in Jamaica.
“In the face of this tragedy and the reality of government actions that have torn him away from the life, community, and family he has built, your kindness has been a light in some of his darkest moments,” a fundraiser organizer said in a message to supporters. “More than that, it has made him incredibly proud — to see so many people come together with such fierce love, humanity, and solidarity.”
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