Gay man facing deportation released from custody in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A gay man facing deportation was released today after supporters protested his detention.

ABC7 News was outside the immigration office on Sansome Street as friends of 34-year-old Beto Martinez rallied for his freedom.

Martinez was detained at his home on June 1. He had been deported previously and immigration agents want to deport him again because he was arrested last year for drunk driving.

His partner, Eric Bernacki says he and Martinez have built a life together in San Francisco.

"You don't know what to expect when someone tells you they are just going to send you away. You know, you feel helpless and you think the worst, and you think it is going to happen and you are not going to see your loved one ever again," said Eric Bernacki.

Martinez was freed while an immigration judge reviews his case. He is now seeking asylum and a visa as a crime victim.