Latest news with #Méndez
Boston Globe
17-05-2025
- Boston Globe
‘When I would go to sleep, I would dream that I was free and with my family.' New Bedford immigrant opens up about his month-long detention
At the jail, he remembers hearing people crying often. Méndez estimates there was about 40 detained immigrants, all men, ranging from teenagers to older adults, from Mexico, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and other countries. Advertisement On Friday, he was still getting used to being back home when he met with reporters, accompanied by his wife and lawyer, to discuss his 30 days in detainment. 'When I went to sleep, I would dream that I was free and with my family,' Méndez remembered, speaking in Spanish. 'But then I would wake up and still be locked up.' Juan Francisco Mendez, a Guatemalan immigrant, discussed his return home to New Bedford. He was forcibly removed from his car by ICE agents, who smashed the windows as he was leaving with his wife for a dentist appointment. Erin Clark/Globe Staff Originally from Guatemala, Méndez, 29, was detained last month after immigration officials broke his car window with an ax and dragged him out, in a striking ordeal that was captured on video by his wife. The video captured the shockingly violent actions of federal immigration agents and was shared widely. (Méndez said he also took a video but his phone was confiscated and has not been returned by ICE). Advertisement The couple was on their way to the dentist when agents in unmarked vehicles pulled them over, seeking a so-called ' ICE officials maintain that Méndez was present without a legal status and the agency's right to so-called 'collateral arrests' which includes detaining individuals other than the people they are seeking. Méndez was finally released Thursday after Judge Yul-mi Cho of the Chelmsford Immigration Court ordered his release on bond, and community members chipped in to pay the $1500. Still, he remains electronically surveilled with an ankle monitor on his left leg. 'He is still detained in a way,' said Ondine Gálvez Sniffin, the attorney who represents the couple, and will be pushing to get the monitor removed. In February 2024, Ortiz was granted asylum, and through his wife Méndez is eligible to adjust his legal status under federal immigration law, said Sniffin. Méndez had already provided his fingerprints to US Citizenship and Immigration Services in December and has no criminal record, she added. 'I'm not a delinquent,' Méndez said. 'The only thing I was looking to do was to bring a plate of food to my family's table,' he said, recalling the poverty of his childhood in Guatemala, where his single mother struggled to provide. The local corruption and lack of economic opportunities are what pushed the family eventually to migrate to the US. Both Méndez and Ortiz worked in the local seafood industry here in New Bedford, where immigrants from many lands have come to live and work on its historic waterfront. In its earliest years, New Bedford drew Portuguese and Cape Verdean immigrants to work in its storied whaling industry. Newer arrivals have turned to the docks, finding work in fish processing plants or on boats harvesting scallops and groundfish. Advertisement The Méndez's experience of the last month has had a chilling effect on the immigrant community, and led the family to rethink their choice to migrate. Since the violent arrest, Ortiz struggles with sleep too, often staying up late into the night, anxious, or waking up from nightmares. Most recently, she was out in New Bedford paying her light bill when she heard police sirens. 'I looked behind me,' she said, and thought to herself 'Where do I run, where do I hide?' It took her a moment to steady her breath and racing heartbeat before she realized the sirens weren't for her. Marilu Domingo Ortiz, wife of Juan Francisco Mendez, became emotional during a press conference in New Bedford on Friday. Ortiz was with her husband when ICE agents pulled over their car, broke the windows and forcibly removed Mendez, He was released Thursday after 30 days in detention at Strafford County jail in New Hampshire. Erin Clark/Globe Staff Now the family is seeking ways to heal. In jail, Méndez said he often turned to the Bible and found help in prayer, and the visits of a local clergyman. Phone calls with his 9-year old son helped, but it 'wasn't the same as seeing him in person,' Méndez said, remembering how a knot would form in his throat, as he heard his son cry. Back home, the family stays close. Méndez keeps a close eye on Ortiz and his son — and they keep a close eye on him. But outside their home, he still vividly remembers the horror: officers surrounding their parked car, the sound of breaking glass. For a moment, 'I thought I was going to be killed,' Méndez said. Despite the lingering fear, it's pushed him to keep speaking up. Advertisement 'Don't stay quiet,' he said. 'If we don't talk, I don't know how far this will go... and for all the families going through this, don't lose hope, keep the strength going.' Esmy Jimenez can be reached at
Boston Globe
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
New Bedford man arrested by ICE remains detained after another judge rules against his release
Separately, Ryan Sullivan, another attorney representing Méndez, had filed a habeas petition in April arguing the legality of Méndez's detention at the Strafford County House of Corrections in Dover, N.H., where he is currently being held. In that civil case, Judge Joseph N. Laplante had previously Méndez, 29, originally from Guatemala, was violently detained in New Bedford last month by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials who broke his car window using an ax, and then pulled him and his wife, Marilu Domingo Ortiz, out of the vehicle. Advertisement Ortiz, who was granted asylum and was helping her husband adjust his immigration status, Méndez does not have a criminal record and provided his fingerprints to US Citizenship and Immigration Services in December, according to his attorneys. Still, Laplante denied the order for emergency release Friday afternoon. Sullivan said his client was heartbroken to learn he was not going home at last. Advertisement 'He's understandably upset,' Sullivan said. 'The government's playing games with his liberty, but [Méndez] is fortunate in that he's got fantastic family support.' Officials with the US Department of Homeland Security and ICE did not respond to a request for comment. Currently, Méndez has an immigration court hearing scheduled for May 15 that Judge Ostrom kept open exactly in the case of administrative hurdles like this. So far, President Trump's administration has targeted large swaths of New England's immigrant community. Over the last month, more than a hundred international students and scholars from over a dozen universities and colleges have been stripped of their visas. In New Bedford, local residents took to the streets on May 1, also known as International Workers' Day, protesting against immigration raids that have targeted and removed at least a dozen local workers, many of whom do not have criminal records. And across Massachusetts, federal immigration officials have arrested an estimated 370 people living in the US without proper documentation, with more raids expected Sullivan said the latest response from Judge Laplante is disappointing, but he will continue the fight. 'We're paving new ground here … we used to be able to rely on the government not violating the due process rights of the people within the borders of our country,' he said. 'That's just not the world that we live in anymore.' Esmy Jimenez can be reached at
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Judge orders release of New Bedford man after window-shattering ICE arrest
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) — After nearly a month in federal custody following a controversial arrest by immigration agents, a New Bedford man is set to be released, 12 News has confirmed. Judge Donald Ostrom agreed Thursday morning to dismiss the case against 29-year-old Juan Francisco Méndez, who's being held at a detention facility in New Hampshire. Méndez was taken into custody on April 14 after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers pulled him over on Tallman Street and shattered his car window. BACKGROUND: ICE agents shatter car window during New Bedford arrest As the couple waited for their attorney, Ondine Galvez Sniffin, to arrive, agents surrounded the vehicle and warned them the situation could be handled 'the easy way or the hard way.' Méndez's wife, Marilu Domingo Ortiz, recorded the incident in a cell phone video that has since made international headlines. It shows an ICE agent using a large tool to smash the backseat window and forcibly remove Méndez from the vehicle. While an ICE spokesperson defended the agent's actions that day, stressing that Francisco Méndez refused to comply with instructions, Sniffin argued they detained the wrong person. She said the agents told her clients they were looking for someone named 'Antonio.' Since Méndez's wife was granted asylum due to persecution in her home country, the couple is lawfully present in the United States, according to Sniffin. She also said Méndez has no criminal record. Meanwhile, ICE claimed Méndez entered the U.S. illegally or without inspection. While the agency acknowledged he has no criminal history, a spokesperson described him as an 'illegally present Guatemalan alien.' RELATED: ICE defends agents who smashed car window during New Bedford arrest But after determining that the federal government had not submitted charging documents, the judge decided to close the case as a 'failure to prosecute.' Francisco Méndez has not yet been released. Sniffin referenced the case of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, who was unlawfully deported to El Salvador but has not been returned to the U.S. — despite a Supreme Court ruling ordering his removal. She told 12 News she hopes this does not become a similar situation. Sniffin said she has contacted ICE, the American Civil Liberties Union and the New Hampshire attorney who filed the habeas corpus petition on he client's behalf regarding his release. She hopes Méndez will be returned to New Bedford Thursday evening, where with his wife and child await him. MORE: Congressman questions 'violent destruction' during New Bedford ICE arrest Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Boston Globe
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Demonstrators pledge support for immigrant neighbors in New Bedford workers' march.
The march began around 11:30 a.m. on Coggeshall Street, with marchers chanting slogans in English and Spanish as they walked to St Anthony of Padua Parish on Acushnet Avenue. Standing beneath the church's sandstone spire, advocates invoked the memory of Pope Francis to call for solidarity among workers of all backgrounds. Advertisement 'Pope Francis insisted that unions are called to be a voice for the voiceless,' said Maria Fortes, an organizer with Indivisible Southeastern Massachusetts. The march proceeded to Riverside Park, where organizers celebrated the history of the labor movement and described the present moment as one of particular danger for workers. 'Today, with this administration and its attacks on unions, our communities, our public education, our health care, our essential services, our basic freedoms, we're here uniting in our resolve to fight for a better future for all workers,' said Lisa Lemieux, president of the Southeastern Massachusetts Central Labor Council. Advertisement Lemieux cited the case of Lemieux voiced support for Tufts doctoral student Lemieux called on workers to resist efforts to pit American and immigrant laborers against each other. 'We cannot and will not allow the ultra wealthy to divide us based on where we are from,' Lemieux said. 'We stand with immigrant workers because an injury to one is an injury to all.' Demonstrators also heard from Marilu Domingo Ortiz, whose husband Juan Francisco Méndez was arrested by ICE agents in New Bedford last month. Méndez, a native of Guatemala, was taken from their vehicle after federal agents used an axe to smash a window, after the couple said they were waiting for their lawyer to arrive before opening the door. Ortiz recorded the incident on video, which was first published by Advertisement Ortiz and Méndez' attorney have questioned whether agents arrested the wrong man, saying Méndez had no criminal history and that agents called out another man's name during the traffic stop. In an 'They took my husband without proof,' Ortiz said. ICE has defended its handling of Méndez' detention, describing him as 'an illegally present' citizen of Guatemala who refused to comply with agents' instructions. 'ICE concurs with the actions deemed appropriate by the officers on the scene who are trained to use the minimum amount of force necessary to resolve the situation in a manner that ensures the success of the operation and prioritizes the safety of our officers,' an ICE spokesperson said in a statement. Justin Cardoza, a 50-year-old elementary school teacher in New Bedford, said he was marching to support immigrant students and let them know they're not alone. Recent immigration raids had left many students distressed, with some too scared to come to school, he said. 'They're very afraid, and the families are afraid,' Cardoza said. Casey Vega, a 38-year-old New Bedford resident and member of an SEUI healthcare union, said the march sent a message that the city's workers would stick up for each other. 'We're here today to show them that we're gonna fight and we're not gonna give up,' Vega said. Dan Glaun can be reached at
Boston Globe
19-04-2025
- Boston Globe
‘I feel sad and outraged': New Bedford woman whose husband was detained by ICE fights for answers
Advertisement A video of the confrontation, which Domingo Ortiz filmed, has been viewed by hundreds of thousands of people across the United States, as Méndez, 29, is among the scores of foreign nationals being picked up by federal immigration agents in public as part of In Méndez's case, he has no criminal record, two of his attorneys told the Globe this week. At the time of his arrest, Méndez was seeking a form of asylum known as an I-730 application available to the spouse and children of people who are granted asylum. His wife has asylum, said Ondine Gálvez Sniffin, an immigration attorney for the couple. Advertisement But authorities allege Méndez entered the United States 'without inspection,' and an ICE spokesperson described him as 'an illegally present' citizen of Guatemala. There are also questions about whether ICE agents arrested the person they were after. Domingo Ortiz, 28, recalls hearing ICE agents calling for 'Antonio' through the car windows. The couple was confused and attempted to explain they wanted to wait for their lawyer before leaving the vehicle, asserting their constitutional rights. 'I feel sad but at the same time outraged, and fearful. I don't know how to explain everything I feel, but it was horrible,' said Domingo Ortiz. 'They took my husband without proof.' While wiping away a tear, Marilu Domingo Ortiz described the arrest during an interview at their home. Charles Krupa/Associated Press Estela De la Cruz, who owns the apartment building where the couple rents, confirmed that another person named Antonio lives on the first floor of the triple-decker. Antonio, whom the Globe is not fully naming because of his immigration status, is also Guatemalan and around the same age as Méndez. Court records from New Bedford District Court show Antonio has been charged with two counts of misdemeanor assault and battery, but has not been found guilty. Antonio had a court hearing scheduled for Monday morning; De la Cruz said she heard from someone else that Antonio had just missed ICE officials when they had knocked on the door of the first-floor apartment. 'It is clearly misidentification,' said Gálvez Sniffin, the couple's immigration attorney, after the Globe informed her of the suspected name mixup. Advertisement 'They have absolutely nothing against my guy,' she said. ICE is 'just being sloppy.' ICE officials did not confirm if they apprehended the wrong man. On Wednesday, a federal judge in New Hampshire ordered the Trump administration to provide 72 hours notice before transferring Francisco Méndez from the Strafford County House of Corrections in Dover, N.H. Gálvez Sniffin expects to have a bond hearing in the coming weeks for Francisco Méndez. New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell, a former federal prosecutor, said that while he wants criminals removed from his city, 'It should matter to everybody if these people are not criminals and they're being detained because their identity's mistaken, [or while] they are still adjudicating their immigration status.' Mitchell also noted 'there was sort of a misleading heads-up given to the Police Department' about the planned arrest. 'The wrong street was given,' he said. 'If the administration is interested in legitimizing what it's doing, it should communicate, and it hasn't been doing that.' Now Francisco Méndez sits in a county jail in New Hampshire. And Domingo Ortiz is trying to figure out how to get her distraught 9-year old to eat, and how to pay a car repair and other bills that are piling up. Gálvez Sniffin confirmed Domingo Ortiz received asylum and, legally, her husband is entitled to what's known as In December, Francisco Méndez provided his fingerprints to US Citizenship and Immigration Services. Advertisement Separately, a second attorney for Francisco Méndez, Ryan Sullivan, has filed a petition to keep him from being transferred to another facility, a practice ICE has been employing in recent weeks. Francisco Méndez's wife is now figuring out how to raise the thousands of dollars that may be necessary to get him released. Unlike a criminal bond, immigration bonds are paid in full, and she's currently parenting solo. She doesn't have any family in the the area either. Without a job, her current plan is to sell birria tacos to On Friday, as she took calls from advocates and friends, she learned the couple's car insurance company would not pay for the smashed windows. She trudged back up to her apartment, hoping her son was willing to eat today. Pinned to the top of the apartment door was a small card in bright red, which advocates have distributed to immigrants fearful of being stopped by ICE agents. 'I do not wish to speak with you or answer questions,' the know-your-rights card read. On Monday, they had handed a similar card to ICE agents. Juan Francisco Méndez and his wife, Marilu Domingo Ortiz. Francisco Méndez was detained by ICE agents in New Bedford on April 14. Marilu Domingo Ortiz Travis Andersen of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Esmy Jimenez can be reached at
