Latest news with #JuanFranciscoMéndez
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Yahoo
Despite dismissal new hearing set for Guatemalan man arrested by ICE in New Bedford
NEW BEDFORD – The Guatemalan man whose violent arrest in New Bedford by ICE was caught on video faces a new hearing though the case was dismissed May 8 when the Dept. of Homeland Security failed to submit a charging document. Attorney Ondine Galvez Sniffin represents Juan Francisco Méndez, 29. He was pulled from his car April 14 after ICE agents smashed in a window to his car, which was caught on video by his wife, Marilú. Sniffin has said Méndez has no record and it may have been a case of mistaken identity. His wife has asylum status which provides him with legal benefits that they had been working on obtaining prior to the arrest. Sniffin said standard procedure was followed May 8 by Judge Donald Ostrom in U.S. Immigration Court in Chelmsford when he dismissed the case after the government failed to provide the charging document. But, she said, the judge 'in his wisdom' continued a bond hearing where Méndez could be released on bail to May 15 anyway in case there was a 'glitch,' and Méndez was still in jail at that time. That glitch materialized on May 9. Sniffin said Méndez should have been released after the May 8 dismissal. She tried contacting the Dept. of Homeland Security on May 9 to arrange the release but didn't get a response. By that afternoon attorney Ryan P. Sullivan, who also represents Méndez, had filed a motion for immediate release with U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante for the District of New Hampshire. It was denied. Sullivan had previously filed a habeas petition with that court and Judge Laplante ordered immigration officials to provide 72 hours notice before transferring Méndez anywhere. The judge denied the motion to release on May 9. The government had argued it hadn't been given an opportunity to counter argue, Sniffin said. They said the May 8 hearing wasn't valid because it was held under Méndez's incorrect identification number, or A for alien number. It's used by Immigration until a person becomes a citizen. Sniffin added, 'Mind you, it was their mistake.' A new hearing has been scheduled for May 22 back in U.S. Immigration Court. However, there's still the continued bond hearing on May 15. Sniffin said she called the court and tried to get the cases combined. They said no. They said one was a bond hearing, and the other was to determine if there's a case. 'So we're going to confront the same garbage' that they confronted May 8. 'DHS still has not filed a charging document for the May 22 hearing. They did the same thing again. They just asked the court to schedule a hearing. It's scheduled and they have not filed a charging document again,' she said. Méndez is not charged with anything, she said. 'They're holding him without having filed a single document.' He is still being held by the Strafford County Dept. of Corrections in Dover, N.H. She hopes their argument will be heard May 15 and remove the need for a May 22 hearing, but she doesn't know. She said the maneuvering seemed retaliatory. 'This is what you get for opening your mouth. That's what I think they're doing. They're punishing my client because this got media attention nationwide,' Sniffin said. An ICE spokesman referred requests for comment to the U.S. Dept. of Justice, which has not responded. This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New hearing set for Guatemalan man arrested by ICE in New Bedford
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Yahoo
New Bedford ICE incident, $1M lottery winner, fatal car crash: Standard-Times top stories
As we head into a new week, let's take a look at the news from this past week. The vacant Kempton and Taylor elementary schools attracted a host of visitors who were there to determine whether the structures could be rehabilitated for housing. The city published requests for proposals from developers, and the tours were designed to let interested parties look inside and judge for themselves whether it was feasible and what the cost would be. Plans for a new upper deck at Cove Surf and Turf are moving forward pending final approvals. The Planning Board approved the site plan for the demolition of a single-family building and the redevelopment of the lot for parking as well as an upper-level deck on the existing single-story restaurant. Make sure to keep up with high school sports with scores, game highlights, and Player of the Week voting at And here are the most-read stories of the week on A 29-year-old Guatemalan man's arrest April 14 in New Bedford by ICE was caught in part by a dramatic video taken by his wife, including their car window being smashed to gain access. Juan Francisco Méndez was driving with his wife, Marilú, when they were hemmed in by cars and approached by ICE agents on Tallman Street. They would not get out of the car, asking to wait until their attorney could arrive. One of the agents, whose vest read "POLICE," used a sledgehammer-like implement to break in the window. Mayor Mitchell: ICE sent New Bedford police wrong address before smash-and-grab arrest The proposed Delano Apartments in Dartmouth will be steps away from the Southworth Public Library and the Dartmouth Council on Aging, along with local businesses, including retail stores and banks. Claremont Companies, a real estate company based in Massachusetts, is proposing an 89-unit, independent living facility for people 55 years of age and older at 696 Dartmouth St. in the Bliss Corner neighborhood. Here's where: Developer to add 89-unit independent living facility in Dartmouth. A lucky customer in New Bedford recently made a brief stop at a convenience store and left with a winning ticket. According to the Massachusetts State Lottery, Phillip Medeiros of New Bedford, a Fall River native, has won a $1 million prize on an instant ticket game. Striking gold: New Bedford man wins $1M on Mass Lottery instant scratch ticket A New Bedford man was killed in a three-car crash on Interstate 195 in Dartmouth on April 16. According to Massachusetts State Police, around 11:20 a.m., the Dartmouth Barracks received a report of a three-car crash involving a tractor-trailer on I-195 west. Dartmouth EMS responded to the incident. Anthony Moniz, 62, of New Bedford, was declared dead at the scene. Mass. State Police: New Bedford man killed in I-195 car crash In the warm weather, ice cream lovers flock to The Ice Cream Cottage on Ferry Street in Fairhaven to savor the flavors while Mey Breakfast serves meals all day and Olivia's Restaurant is open evenings. Soon, the restaurant, breakfast nook, and ice cream shop customers will be able to stay safe while waiting for their food, with the town embracing a bigger sidewalk plaza. Check it out: Fairhaven waterfront restaurants get a boost to make room for more customers All of these stories can be read in their entirety at This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: ICE agents smash car window in New Bedford: Top Stories
