Latest news with #FernandoMejia
Newsweek
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
ICE Responds After Beloved Bagel House Boss' Arrest Sparks Protests
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. A manager of a New York bagel house was detained by federal immigration agents earlier this month, sparking outrage across the community. Fernando Mejia, 41, who runs Port Washington's Schmear Bagel & Cafe, was apprehended by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents outside the business on June 12, the Long Island Press reported. When contacted for comment by Newsweek, a spokesperson for ICE said: "U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement encountered Fernando Alberto Mejia-Flores, a Salvadorian national, during a daily routine law enforcement action in the vicinity of Port Washington, New York, June 12. Mejia-Flores was identified as a fugitive alien with a Final Order of Removal. ICE arrested him and transported him to an ICE processing facility in Central Islip, New York." Why It Matters Since the beginning of President Donald Trump's second term, thousands of suspected undocumented migrants have been arrested. The administration has empowered ICE and expanded its enforcement. The president vowed to remove millions of migrants without legal status as part of a key campaign pledge to carry out what he calls the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history. Critics argue that these immigration raids instill fear in vulnerable communities and may infringe on constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures. Concerns have been raised over the impact of deportation policies on the U.S. economy and American business, leading to labor shortages. The American Immigration Council estimates that the president's mass deportation policy could slap a one-time cost of $315 billion on the country. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent stands outside the Delaney Hall Detention Facility during protests over federal immigration enforcement raids on June 12 in Newark, New Jersey. Inset: Fernando Mejia, 41, who runs Port... An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent stands outside the Delaney Hall Detention Facility during protests over federal immigration enforcement raids on June 12 in Newark, New Jersey. Inset: Fernando Mejia, 41, who runs Port Washington's Schmear Bagel & Cafe, is seen. More AP Photo / GoFundMe/Olga Fedorova What To Know Mejia moved to the United States 20 years ago, according to the Long Island Press. An employee reportedly told the outlet that the manager was detained for allegedly overstaying his visa. A GoFundMe page, that currently has raised a little over $30,500, has been set up to help raise legal costs for his case. "Fernando was also recently hospitalized for medical issues, which make his sudden detention all the more dangerous to his well-being," a post on GoFundMe reads. "His sudden detention has also left his family, including his 14-year-old daughter, emotionally devastated and facing immediate legal battles." The spokesperson for ICE told Newsweek that "U.S. Border Patrol previously apprehended Mejia-Flores, on Oct. 18, 2005, near Brownsville, Texas, and determined that Mejia-Flores was inadmissible to the United States." They added: "Mejia-Flores was processed and served with a Notice to Appear on Nov. 15, 2005. An immigration judge with the Dept. of Justice Executive Office for Immigration Review in New York ordered Mejia-Flores removed in absentia on Jan. 19, 2006." In support of Mejia, local residents gathered over the weekend and called for transparency and due process. Chants such as "ICE out, Fernando back!" were heard as dozens of friends, neighbors, and community members met near the café, PIX11 News reported. The peaceful gathering began across the street from the bagel shop. What People Are Saying The family wrote in a post on GoFundMe: "Fernando is well known throughout the Port Washington community—greeting us at dawn, fueling our mornings, and sending our kids off with a high-five. He is also known, at times, as the Easter Bunny and other characters who bring children joy. Fernando loves his community, and his hard work and unwavering dedication embody the American values of integrity, loyalty, and perseverance. A spokesperson for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) told Newsweek: "U.S. immigration laws allow aliens to pursue relief from removal; however, once they have exhausted all due process and appeals, the aliens remain subject to a final order of removal and ICE must carry out that order." What Happens Next? According to PIX11 News, supporters of Mejia's said they will continue their efforts until he's released.
CBS News
16-06-2025
- CBS News
Outrage on Long Island after ICE detains bagel shop manager
A Long Island community is rattled after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained the manager of a bagel shop. Schmear Bagel and Cafe in Port Washington is usually full of good vibes as manager Fernando Mejia serves up smiles. But there were tears Monday after ICE picked him up in the parking lot when he arrived for work. ICE detains bagel shop manager Mejia allegedly overstayed a visa 20 years ago, which led to ICE taking him into custody last week. "They love him. All the parents trust him with their kids. He's even cooked, many people have hired him into their own home," George Tsikis, the bagel shop's owner, said. Mejia's father, in the U.S. from El Salvador to help his son with health problems, was allowed one 30-second phone call with him, he said. "He came to look for the American dream and this is what America gave him," a woman at the bagel shop said. Mejia's detainment came amid a recent flurry of ICE activity on Long Island. Earlier this week, video surfaced allegedly showing ICE agents taking a Hispanic U.S. citizen into custody in Westbury during another incident in June. "This is not East Germany" Meanwhile, Schmear Bagel and Cafe patrons said they were surprised Mejia was targeted because they had the impression ICE was after violent criminals. "Does the government see that he did something wrong? Hand him a ticket. Hand him a summons. You got to be in court, and so on. You just can't make people disappear. This is not East Germany," Jeff Siegel said. "Upset. Mad. Hurt. He's a great guy. He gets up everyday, works, pays his taxes, and he works to take care of his family. He has no criminal record. There's no reason for this," one of Mejia's coworkers said. Fernando Mejia, the manager of Schmear Bagel and Cafe in Port Washington, New York, was detained by ICE for allegedly overstaying his visa decades ago. CBS News New York CBS News New York reached out to ICE about Mejia's case and is waiting for a response. The Port Washington community has raised thousands to hire a lawyer for him. ICE has stated in general terms that it is "removing criminals who threaten public safety and national security. Three in four arrests were criminal illegal aliens, putting the worst first." Mother of 5 detained after asylum hearing Immigration attorney Ala Amoachi said ICE also detained Nuvia Ventura, a mother of five disabled children in Brentwood. Ventura was detained after showing up for an asylum hearing last week, she said. "For them, all immigrants are criminals. It's not about having a criminal record. It's not about being a suspected gang member," Amoachi said. Ventura's siblings, now caring for her children, said they're afraid to show their faces. One child is in the hospital, they said. "They are suffering a lot because of their mother," one sibling said. "And they ask, 'Where is Mom? Where is Mom? I want my mom to come back.'" Families have been scrambling for whatever legal help they can pay for. An online petition asking lawmakers to advocate for compassionate oversight, humane treatment and due process has nearly 1,000 signatures.
