Jessica Ruiz's life since her husband was detained by ICE: The weight of business, home, and three children

"No one wants to give you trucks because everyone knows Tony is in custody, and they're afraid you'll keep the money from what we do and not pay us. Things have changed lately: now she, Jessica Ruiz, a 35-year-old woman, is at the helm of the family trucking business, All Coast Express, responsible for shipping all the vegetables from California to Miami."

"I needed him to trust me, in the good work I'm going to do. In a business geared toward strong men, capable of spending days on the road, dealing with sleep deprivation, transactions, and dollars, Jessica is almost an outsider. In the trucking industry, unfortunately, we women are labeled as not capable, we're not well-regarded, they think we're not going to do things well."

"In addition to raising their three children, working for a car export company, and pursuing her psychology studies, Jessica now also handles the duties that usually fell to her partner, Antonio Lopetegui. In the business, he was a key player, she says. He was in charge of coordinating drivers, checking routes, communicating with clients, supervising trucks, and performing maintenance work. It's a very stressful job. Finding myself like this, leading a company where I didn't even know how to make an appointment to pick up some asparagus, has been frustrating."

ICE arrested Antonio Lopetegui, leaving his 35-year-old partner, Jessica Ruiz, in charge of All Coast Express. The company ships vegetables from California to Miami for Publix stores, cruise lines, and county schools. Many clients hesitated to continue business, fearing misappropriation or preferring to wait for Tony's release; one client required immediate payment before trusting her. The trucking industry is male-dominated and often dismissive of women’s capabilities. Jessica coordinates operations previously handled by her partner while also raising three children, working at a car export company, and studying psychology. She finds the responsibilities stressful, frustrating, and overwhelming as she learns logistics on the job.

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