DAVENPORT, Fla. — The Torres-Bruno family has decades worth of memories in Polk County. 

• Miguel Torres-Bruno, Patricia fled Peru in 1993
• Their latest stay of removal was denied
• Other family members, however, eventually became citizens

It's where they raised their only son and started a real estate business. 

But that's about to be ripped away. The family is on the verge of being separated on January 2. 

They say they're victims of a broken immigration system. 

"We believed we'd be the last ones to be deported," Miguel Torres-Bruno said. "Now, we are the first."

Miguel Torres-Bruno and his wife Patricia fled Peru in 1993. 

They arrived in Miami with their son, Juan Miguel, who was an infant at the time.

The couple's son, Juan Miguel, will stay behind. He is a master's student and is protected by DACA.

They filed for political asylum, as did others in their family who fled Peru around the same time.  

One by one, their family members got their residency, and eventually became citizens. 

But getting theirs, on the other hand, wasn't so easy. 

"My sister has the same, the same case. Why (was hers) approved, and us, nothing?" Patricia said. 

Their family's case was ultimately dismissed due to a clerical error.

"We received a letter from the Department of Justice that our — the tape, the record of the judge, was lost, was missing," Patricia said. 

Despite this, the family was able to file a stay of removal year after year. 

"We never are here illegal. Every year they sent the employment authorization," Patricia said. 

That is, until this October, when their stay of removal was denied. 

They say they did nothing differently. 

Attorney Daniela Carrion took on the Torres-Bruno case pro bono, in hopes of getting clemency for the family due to Patricia's poor health. 

"They’re supposed to look at any hardships, they're supposed to look at whether the family is established, whether they've committed any crimes. And this family clearly meets all of the requirements. And in this case, they've denied them,: Carrion said. 

"It's painful when you see your other half suffering day in and day out," Miguel said.

Their son will stay behind — the master's student is still protected by DACA. 

Patricia and Miguel will not be welcomed by family in Peru. The irony is that everyone else is now living in Florida as U.S. citizens. 

"We are together for 30 years. We are happy and it’s hard to lose everything, everything we’ve worked very hard for."