Families scramble to pay for lawyers after ICE raid in Florida
Britney Padron hadn't spoken to her father in four days. But on Friday, she finally had three minutes to make sure he was OK.
The last time her father, Jose Padron, spoke to her was on Monday from a detention center in El Paso. Days before, he was grabbed and detained by ICE in an immigration raid at a Tallahassee construction site.
"He would always give us a hug and kiss our cheeks every time we left and returned home and I miss that so deeply right now," Britney said.
She and other family members of those who were detained in Florida's largest immigration raid of the year are trying to raise money for lawyers to advocate for their loved ones, who can only call every so often for a few minutes at a time.
They've set up GoFundMe online fundraisers, hoping others can help with the costly fees associated with the immigration process.
Britney and her sister have tried to find lawyers who offer free consultations, but some immigration firms have asked $300 to $900 for a initial talk. As for taking on her father's case, she's been quoted $3,500 from one firm and $3,800 at another.
Hilda Castro, whose husband was also detained, said a lawyer quoted her $5,500. Currently, her GoFundMe has raised none of the $1,600 she is asking for.
Some of the detained laborers were on their way to Texas as soon as the day after the raid. Others were sent to Miami's Krome Detention Center. But not everyone could find their friends and family; ICE's Online Detainee Locator System has been unreliable in recent months.
While Britney's father was in El Paso on Monday, the ICE Online Detainee Locator System only said "Texas" when she put in his information. Now, he's in the Rio Grande Detention Center in Laredo, Texas, with other laborers from Tallahassee.
She was finally able to put money on his commissary tab on Friday.
When Britney speaks to her dad on the phone, the call is always brief. Just three minutes, enough to check in and say "I love you." She was relieved to hear his voice on Friday. "Thank God," she said.
It's a heartbreaking game of telephone to try to locate loved ones who haven't been able to update family on their removal status. Family members of her father's friends have given her information, but it's been hard to verify, which makes it even more difficult to relay that information to lawyers.
Amanda Parrish said she hadn't spoken to her husband in four days, but he finally called Friday morning to say he was also at the Rio Grande Processing Center.
In a public post on Facebook, Parrish shared a text-message conversation she had with his bond lawyer. "We haven't heard from him in four days. We're just really worried," Parrish wrote.
"Hi, he hasn't been assigned to a judge yet. I'll see what I can do today to find out some information," the bond lawyer replied.
Parrish and her husband got married in 2018, and he's been in the process of applying for citizenship since 2019. He was approved for his I-130, a "petition for alien relative," and was waiting for approval for permanent residency, also known as a Green Card.
"This is unfair. This should not have happened," Parrish said. "He should not have made it all the way to Texas. He said he is fine but I know he's only telling me that because he does not want me to worry."
On May 29, the day of the raid, she was outside of the chain-link fence when she saw her husband, Tino, walk onto a white school bus, hands bound.
"I love you so much, and I will always fight for you. I hope you're doing OK and just know that we are doing everything possible for you," Parrish wrote in a Facebook post.
Castro hasn't heard from her husband, Ramiro, since Saturday, when he called and said he was in El Paso. The Quincy resident said when her husband was detained by ICE, he was in the process of getting his I-130 as well. Castro is a citizen, and the two are married.
Federal officials at the detention facility offered her husband paperwork to self-deport, but Castro told her husband not to sign anything. She's now trying to raise money for his defense.
'I found a lawyer in El Paso, but I need to figure out how I'm going to get the money to pay," she said. "I can't leave him there.'
Help this family reunite NOW! ICE Raid, May 29 Tallahassee
Support Legal Aid for Detained Husband
Fighting for Jose Padron While Holding Our Family Together
Ana Goñi-Lessan, state watchdog reporter for the USA TODAY Network – Florida, can be reached at agonilessan@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: GoFundMe pleas rise as ICE detainees await legal help
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Newsweek
15 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Celebrities React to LA Riots
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Celebrities including Lisa Rinna, Halle Berry and Mark Ruffalo have been sharing their reactions to the Los Angeles riots on social media. The Context Protests erupted in the California city beginning on Friday following federal immigration raids from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). President Donald Trump's deployment of National Guard troops further heightened tensions. What To Know Hollywood rarely stays silent when it comes to current events—like the Los Angeles wildfires, TikTok ban and Trump's 2024 election win. Now, stars are taking to social media platforms like Instagram to voice their opinions on the L.A. riots. On Sunday, Finneas O'Connell—the brother of nine-time Grammy Award winner Billie Eilish—said he was tear-gassed at the Los Angeles protests. "Tear gassed almost immediately at the very peaceful protest downtown—they're inciting this," the singer-songwriter wrote via his Instagram Stories, adding: "F*** ICE." On Truth Social on Monday, Trump spoke out about the riots: "Looking really bad in L.A. BRING IN THE TROOPS!!!" Police stand outside of the city hall building after clashes with protestors on June 8, 2025, Downtown Los Angeles, California. The clashes come after ICE raids swept throughout the city over the weekend. In the... Police stand outside of the city hall building after clashes with protestors on June 8, 2025, Downtown Los Angeles, California. The clashes come after ICE raids swept throughout the city over the weekend. In the left inset image, Lisa Rinna attends the FASHION TRUST U.S. Awards 2024 on April 9, 2024, in Beverly Hills, California. In the right inset image, Halle Berry attends the Jury photocall at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at the Palais des Festivals on May 13, 2025, in Cannes, France. More; Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic;What People Are Saying The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Rinna wrote via her Instagram Stories: "He wants to declare martial law. So be careful in LA. He wants protests. Don't give him what he wants which is violence." Eva Longoria reposted a slew of protest-related clips and messages to her Instagram Stories, one of which from @brownissues read: "Cost of groceries keep going up! Gas keeps going up! Rent up! And, this administration decides to spend millions of our tax dollars to scare people from schools, abduct parents from work sites, and wait outside of Immigration Court to punish people 'doing it the right way!'" Singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams shared several reposts to her Instagram Stories too, including a message from her mom, Bad Robot Productions CEO Katie McGrath: "LA is afraid right now because their coworkers were kidnapped at work. Because the guy who sold them dinner was snatched by masked men. And because a bunch of neighbor's parents straight up never came home. As Trump gleefully escalates this with the National Guard, violence is inevitable. But just know this protest started from a place of protection. A place of love. We love our neighbors. We love our family. We love our community." Actor Mark Ruffalo, who has criticized President Trump in the past, shared a lengthy message to Instagram with the caption: "When you have working class people going after the poor and other working class people you know you are living in an oligarchy." In his viral post, which racked up over 175,000 likes—including from Jennifer Garner and Rachel Zegler—he said: "The billionaire up at the top is stealing you blind, and you are worried about the poorest of the poor ruining your life? You are pointing your guns in the wrong direction... The president is a grifter." In the comments underneath Ruffalo's post, Halle Berry posted a red heart emoji, which received 511 likes. My Cousin Vinny star Marisa Tomei replied with three clapping hands emojis, which received 338 likes. Orange Is the New Black actress Natasha Lyonne responded with two purple heart emojis, which received 264 likes. Melanie Griffith added in a note several red heart, clapping hands and flexed biceps emojis, which received 130 likes. The Bold Type star Katie Stevens posted: a single red heart emoji. What Happens Next In a message posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Monday, California Governor Gavin Newsom said he plans to file a lawsuit against Trump over his National Guard deployment. "This is exactly what Donald Trump wanted. He flamed the fires and illegally acted to federalize the National Guard. The order he signed doesn't just apply to CA [California]. It will allow him to go into ANY STATE and do the same thing. We're suing him."


Fox News
16 minutes ago
- Fox News
JONATHAN TURLEY: Democrats' rabid anti-ICE resistance in LA against Trump could backfire
California Gov. Gavin Newsom was in his element over the weekend. After scenes of burning cars and attacks on ICE personnel, Newsom declared that this was all "an illegal act, an immoral act, an unconstitutional act." No, he was not speaking of the attacks on law enforcement or property. He was referring to President Donald Trump's call to deploy the National Guard to protect federal officers. Newsom is planning to challenge the deployment as cities like Glendale are cancelling contracts to house detainees and reaffirming that local police will not assist the federal government. Trump has the authority under Section 12406 of Title 10 of the U.S. Code to deploy the National Guard if the governor is "unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States." The administration is saying that that is precisely what is unfolding in California, where mobs have attacked vehicles and trapped federal personnel. Most critics are challenging the deployment on policy grounds, arguing that it is an unnecessary escalation. However, even critics like Berkeley Law Dean Erwin have admitted that "Unfortunately, President Trump likely has the legal authority to do this." There is a fair debate over whether this is needed at this time, but the president is allowed to reach a different conclusion. Trump wants the violence to end now as opposed to escalating as it did in the Rodney King riots or the later riots after George Floyd's death, causing billions in property damage and many deaths. Courts will be asked to halt the order because it did not technically go through Newsom to formally call out the National Guard. Section 12406 grants Trump the authority to call out the Guard and employs a mandatory term for governors, who "shall" issue the president's order. In the memo, Trump also instructed federal officials "to coordinate with the Governors of the States and the National Guard Bureau." Newsom is clearly refusing to issue the orders or coordinate the deployment. Even if such challenges are successful, Trump can clearly flood the zone with federal authority. Indeed, the obstruction could escalate the matter further, prompting Trump to consider using the Insurrection Act, which would allow troops to participate directly in civilian law enforcement. In 1958, President Eisenhower used the Insurrection Act to deploy troops to Arkansas to enforce the Supreme Court's orders ending racial segregation in schools. The Trump administration has already claimed that these riots "constitute a form of rebellion against the authority of the government of the United States." In support of such a claim, the administration could cite many of the Democratic leaders now denouncing the claim. After January 6th, liberal politicians and professors insisted that the riot was an "insurrection" and claimed that Trump and dozens of Republicans could be removed from ballots under the 14th Amendment. Liberal professors insisted that Trump's use of the word "fight" on January 6th and his questioning of the results of an election did qualify as an insurrection. They argued that you merely need to show "an assemblage of people" who are "resisting the law" and "using force or intimidation" for "a public purpose." The involvement of inciteful language from politicians only reinforced these claims. Sound familiar? Democrats are using this order to deflect from their own escalation of the tensions over the past several months. From Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz calling ICE officers "Gestapo" to others calling them "fascists" and "Nazis," Democratic leaders have been ignoring objections that they are fueling the violent and criminal responses. It did not matter. It was viewed as good politics. While Newsom and figures like New Jersey Democrat Sen. Cory Booker have called these "peaceful" protests, we have also seen rocks, and Molotov cocktails thrown at police as vehicles were torched. Police have had to use tear gas, "flash bang" grenades, and rubber bullets to quell these "peaceful" protesters. There appears little interest in deescalation on either side. For the Trump administration, images of rioters riding in celebration around burning cars with Mexican flags are only likely to reinforce the support of the majority of Americans for the enforcement of immigration laws. For Democrats, they have gone "all in" on opposing ICE and these enforcement operations despite support from roughly 30 percent of the public. Some Democrats are now playing directly to the mob. A Los Angeles City Council member, Eunisses Hernandez, reportedly urged anti-law enforcement protesters to "escalate" their tactics against ICE officers: "They know how quickly we mobilize, that's why they're changing tactics. Because community defense works and our resistance has slowed them down before… and if they're escalating their tactics, then so are we. When they show up, we gotta show up even stronger." So, L.A. officials are maintaining the sanctuary status of the city, barring the cooperation of local police, and calling on citizens to escalate their resistance after a weekend of violent attacks. Others have posted the locations of ICE facilities to allow better tracking of operations, while cities like Glendale are closing facilities. In Washington, House Speaker Hakim Jeffries has pledged to unmask the identities of individual ICE officers who have been covering their faces to protect themselves and their families from growing threats. While Democrats have not succeeded in making a convincing political case for opposing immigration enforcement, they may be making a stronger case for federal deployment in increasingly hostile blue cities.
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
‘He knows where to find me,' Gov. Newsom responds to Trump administration arrest threat
California Gov. Gavin Newsom responded to threats over the weekend by the Trump administration that he could be arrested if he interferes with ICE arrests of undocumented immigrants. 'He's a tough guy, why doesn't he do that? He knows where to find me,' Newsom said during an interview with MSNBC News on Sunday. The governor also issued some strong statements toward the president and his administration's crackdown on immigration. 'But, you know what? Lay your hands off 4-year-old girls that are trying to get educated. Lay your hands off these poor people that are just trying to live their lives, man. Trying to live their lives, paying their taxes … been here 10 years,' Newsom said. The governor's comments come in response to threats by Trump's 'border czar,' Tom Homan, to arrest anyone who obstructs the immigration enforcement effort, including Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, NBC News reported. 'I'll say about anybody,' Homan told the television network. 'You cross that line, it's a felony to knowingly harbor and conceal an illegal alien. It's a felony to impede law enforcement doing their job.' For her part, Bass said Homan's comments were unnecessary. 'I spoke to him last night. He understands that I am the mayor of the city; the last thing in the world I'm going to do is get into a brawl with the federal government. So that just made no sense. There was no reason for that comment,' she told NBC News. Newsom and other Democratic leaders have criticized Trump's use of the National Guard in trying to quell anti-ICE immigration protests that turned violent in Los Angeles over the weekend, saying the escalation in force will only lead to further trouble. Newsom also announced plans to sue the Trump administration over the deployment. Meanwhile, Trump has indicated he would be willing to bring in the U.S. Marines if he felt the situation called for it. Trump also backed up Homan's warning to officials, saying they will 'face judges' if they stand in the way. 'Who the hell is this guy? Come after me, arrest me, let's just get it over with, tough guy,' Newsom responded. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.