DACA Recipient Detained by ICE at Airport Before Boarding Domestic Flight
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Catalina "Xóchitl" Santiago, a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient and longtime immigration activist, was detained by Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents on Sunday at El Paso International Airport as she prepared to board a domestic flight.
Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek via email on Wednesday that CBP arrested Santiago, a migrant from Mexico, because of a criminal history that included charges for trespassing and possession of narcotics and drug paraphernalia.
"Illegal aliens who claim to be recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) are not automatically protected from deportations," McLaughlin said. "DACA does not confer any form of legal status in this country. Any illegal alien who is a DACA recipient may be subject to arrest and deportation for a number of reasons, including if they've committed a crime."
According to KVIA, a local ABC affiliate in El Paso, Santiago will remain in ICE custody pending her removal proceedings.
Community organizer and Cosecha leader Cata "Xóchitl" Santiago was detained by Border Patrol this morning in El Paso, TX. pic.twitter.com/o4uT99r16q — Movimiento Cosecha (@CosechaMovement) August 3, 2025
Why It Matters
Santiago's detention has sparked concern among advocates as it highlights the fragility of legal protections for DACA recipients, often known as "Dreamers." DACA provides work authorization and temporary protection from deportation, but it does not confer legal status.
Recent detentions of DACA recipients—including Santiago's—raise pressing questions about the program's limits, particularly under intensified immigration enforcement. The incident comes amid continued debate over the fate of DACA and its beneficiaries, as legal and policy battles play out across the U.S.
What To Know
Santiago, a member of the Movimiento Cosecha advocacy group, had reportedly presented a valid DACA work authorization card when taken into custody.
Around 4 a.m. local time on Sunday, she was approached and detained by two agents as she was about to board her flight. Despite presenting her DACA work authorization card, agents took her into custody and transferred her to a federal immigration processing facility in El Paso, according to Border Report.
Representative Sylvia Garcia, a Democrat from Texas, speaks during a news conference with immigration experts, DACA recipients and Dreamers to mark the 13th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in Washington, D.C.,...
Representative Sylvia Garcia, a Democrat from Texas, speaks during a news conference with immigration experts, DACA recipients and Dreamers to mark the 13th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in Washington, D.C., on June 11. More
ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images
Supporters, including Movimiento Cosecha, have mobilized a response through social media and organized a GoFundMe campaign that, as of the morning of August 6, had raised more than $56,700 for Santiago's legal defense of a goal of $70,000. She has received more than 1,200 donations.
Activists dispute the grounds for her detention, arguing that she has legal protection under DACA and is an integral part of her community after more than a decade of activism. They said Santiago had made "such a profound and powerful impact on so many loved friends and community members from Florida to Texas and beyond," notably aiding the immigrant community and families in El Paso.
"Now, we need to show up for her," the GoFundMe page said. "Immigrant communities have been targeted for decades, and the Trump administration is taking these fascist tactics to unprecedented levels. This unexpected and cruel detainment will likely result in high legal fees alongside immeasurable emotional impact on her and her family."
It continued: "We are asking for support for her legal funds and post-release care and healing. Please give what you can to ensure that Xotchil has the resources needed to fight for her case, her ability to stay in the U.S. with her family and community, and can take the time needed to recover from this traumatic experience after she is released."
Newsweek has contacted the page's organizer, Lagartija del Sol, for comment.
A separate petition on ActionNetwork.org has garnered more than 3,200 signatures calling for her release.
Organizers have scheduled a protest for August 6 at the ICE detention facility in El Paso demanding Santiago's release, according to KVIA.
What People Are Saying
Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek via email on Wednesday: "Illegal aliens can take control of their departure with the CBP Home App. The United States is offering illegal aliens $1,000 and a free flight to self-deport now. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream."
Catalina "Xóchitl" Santiago said in a statement posted on her GoFundMe page by Lagartija del Sol: "I love everyone and thank you so much for walking with me in so many ways, for thinking of my well being and for reminding me of importance of organized struggle and lightening up my spirit."
What Happens Next
Santiago remains in federal immigration custody as legal proceedings continue. Her supporters are coordinating with her legal team to challenge her removal and demand her release.
The broader legal future for DACA recipients remains uncertain amid ongoing court battles and evolving immigration policies.
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