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USA Today
3 days ago
- General
- USA Today
Families scramble to find loved ones – and answers – after massive ICE raid in Florida
Families scramble to find loved ones – and answers – after massive ICE raid in Florida Family members, friends of detained immigrants in Florida say they have had trouble locating them in ICE facilities, county jails. Show Caption Hide Caption Tallahassee, Florida, ICE crackdown: Inside bus filled with detainees A detainee, Juan Carlos Hernandez, took a video of inside the bus, where he and his coworkers were handcuffed. He sent it to a reporter outside. What we know: Over 100 construction workers were detained in a Tallahassee, Florida immigration raid. Detainees were sent to various locations, including Florida's Baker County, Miami, and Texas, with some already deported to Mexico. The whereabouts of some detainees remain unknown, causing distress for families and friends. TALLAHASSEE, Florida ‒ Family members and friends of the more than 100 construction workers detained in what was deemed Florida's largest immigration raid this year say they are having trouble locating their loved ones. Some of the laborers were sent to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Baker County, while some went to Miami's Krome Detention Center. Others were quickly flown to El Paso, Texas, and were still there awaiting removal as of June 3. And some are already in Mexico, just five days after being detained and bused away from their job site in Tallahassee, the state's capital. But others are still silent, and their friends and family are worried and waiting for a call to know where they are – and if they're safe. Questions about where the detainees were headed and in which detention facilities they would be held have been pending with federal authorities since May 29. Questions about how often detainees are transferred are also pending. Many of the county detention facilities across the state are already at capacity, according to state records. "There's no apparent rhyme or reason to where people are sent," Florida-based immigration attorney Elizabeth Ricci said. Her firm, Rambana & Ricci, is representing clients who were detained in the raid at a construction site of a seven-story mixed-use development called Perla at the Enclave. Texas seen as better to send detainees to Immigration lawyers say detainees are often sent to Texas because judges there are tougher and it's closer to the U.S.-Mexico border, making it easier for removal and harder for lawyers and families to track them down to block that removal. Some of the laborers were on their way to Texas as soon as the day after the raid, but not everyone could find friends and family, as ICE's Online Detainee Locator System has been unreliable in recent months, according to Ricci. "It's very possible that we are on the (telephone) waiting to have a bond hearing that was scheduled, and unbeknownst to us, the person has been sent to another facility," Ricci said. If a detainee is sent to another court jurisdiction, the attorney has to file the client's paperwork in that district all over again. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other Republican leaders have criticized federal judges who have ruled against President Donald Trump's mass deportation agenda. They describe it as 'lawfare,' referring to the use (or misuse) of legal systems to attack, discredit, or obstruct an opponent. They've publicly denounced one Florida judge, who ruled one of the state's latest immigration laws unconstitutional, saying she ruled beyond her jurisdiction. Florida's reputation as 'toughest' on illegal immigration In the name of being the "toughest" state on immigration, Florida officials also asked the federal government for more leeway to establish its own brick-and-mortar facilities to detain and house more immigrants. Waiving federal standards for detention would allow the state to house more people and for longer, they say, as ICE currently does not have the capability to keep up with the president's and Florida governor's mass deportation mandates. According to the state's immigration enforcement operations plan: 'There is … a major chokepoint in terms of detention. At its current state, ICE is overwhelmed with the number of detainees that have been arrested prior to the state assisting with the process.' Advocates say this has led to some detained immigrants being moved, some up to five times, from ICE detention to county jails, out of state and back in. There were 1,984 open jail beds in county detention facilities at the end of March, according to a report on vacant beds from Larry Keefe, the executive director of the State Board of Immigration Enforcement, to Florida Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula. But 27 of the facilities, some of which are the only detention facilities in their counties, have no vacant beds, according to the March 26, report. Mariana Blanco, director of operations of the Guatemalan-Mayan Center in Palm Beach County, has been tracking detentions of people in her community since March. . Blanco said many detainees are held at Krome, recognized as America's oldest immigration detention facility, for weeks and even months. But there is a growing number of detainees who are constantly being transferred from one detention facility to another, making it difficult to alert family or their lawyers, if they have one. 'We have folks who have been detained for months, and we have folks who, within 24 hours, them and their U.S. born-kids were already sent back to their country,' Blanco said. 'There is no way to keep track of the detentions and deportation work." For example, according to Blanco's data, one client was held at Krome, then moved to a Broward County detention facility, and is now at the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center. Another was held in Stuart, Florida, moved to Louisiana, then brought back to Krome to later be deported. One client has been transferred nine times, Blanco said. The constant transfers have allowed the government to place some immigrants on deportation flights before they could speak with family members or attorneys, she added. Most of her daily calls come from desperate families seeking help to locate their detained family members. Before 8 a.m. many day, Ricci also gets frantic calls from clients who say a family member's hearing has been rescheduled for that day and they just found out, which leaves little time to prepare. "That's all part of this intentional system to make it more difficult for people to have a defense," Ricci said. Ana Goñi-Lessan, state watchdog reporter for the USA TODAY Network – Florida, can be reached at agonilessan@ Valentina Palm covers immigration in Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post, a member of the the USA TODAY Network – Florida. Email her at vpalm@
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Immigration raid in Florida capital leaves families searching for loved ones
In the aftermath of what was deemed the largest immigration raid in Florida so far in 2025, family members and friends of the more than 100 construction workers detained say they have had trouble locating their loved ones. Some of the laborers were sent to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Baker County, while some went to Miami's Krome Detention Center. Others were quickly flown to El Paso, Texas, and were still there awaiting removal as of June 3. And some are already in Mexico, just five days after being detained and bused away from their job site in Tallahassee, Florida. But others are still silent, and their friends and family are worried and waiting for a call to know where they are – and if they're safe. Questions about where the detainees were headed and in which detention facilities they would be held have been pending with federal authorities since May 29. Questions about how often detainees are transferred are also pending. "There's no apparent rhyme or reason to where people are sent," Florida-based immigration attorney Elizabeth Ricci said. Her firm, Rambana & Ricci, is representing clients who were detained in a May 29 ICE raid at a construction site of a seven-story mixed-use development called Perla at the Enclave in Tallahassee, the state capital. It could be geography – a close location that's easy to send detainees to – but many of the county detention facilities in the state are at capacity, according to state records. As for the feds sending people to Texas, immigration lawyers generally say it's because judges there are tougher and it's closer to the U.S.-Mexico border, making it easier for removal and harder for lawyers and families to track people down. Some of the laborers were on their way to Texas as soon as the day after the raid, but not everyone could find friends and family, as ICE's Online Detainee Locator System has been unreliable in recent months, according to Ricci. "It's very possible that we are on the (telephone) waiting to have a bond hearing that was scheduled, and unbeknownst to us, the person has been sent to another facility," Ricci said. If a detainee is sent to another court jurisdiction, the attorney has to file the client's paperwork in that district all over again. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other Republican leaders have criticized federal judges who have ruled against President Donald Trump's mass deportation agenda, calling it 'lawfare,' referring to the use (or misuse) of legal systems to attack, discredit, or obstruct an opponent. They've publicly denounced one Florida judge, who ruled one of the state's latest immigration laws unconstitutional, saying she ruled beyond her jurisdiction. In the name of being the "toughest" state on immigration, Florida officials also asked the federal government for more leeway to establish its own brick-and-mortar facilities to detain and house more immigrants. Waiving federal standards for detention would allow the state to house more people and for longer, they say, as ICE currently does not have the capability to keep up with the president's and Florida governor's mass deportation mandates. According to the state's immigration enforcement operations plan: 'There is … a major chokepoint in terms of detention. At its current state, ICE is overwhelmed with the number of detainees that have been arrested prior to the state assisting with the process.' Advocates say this has led to some detained immigrants being moved, some up to five times, from ICE detention to county jails, out of state and back in, because of occupancy issues in Florida facilities. There were 1,984 open jail beds in county detention facilities at the end of March, according to a report on vacant beds from Larry Keefe, the executive director of the State Board of Immigration Enforcement, to Florida Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula. But 27 of the facilities, some of which are the only detention facilities in their counties, have no vacant beds, according to the March 26, 2025, report. Mariana Blanco, director of operations of the Guatemalan-Mayan Center in Palm Beach County, has been tracking detentions of people in her community since March. Blanco keeps track of their names, country of origin, where they were detained, if they had a criminal record or removal orders, and where they are being held. At least one person fills out the form or calls Blanco to report another detention every day. Blanco said many detainees are held at Krome, recognized as America's oldest immigration detention facility, for weeks and even months. But there is a growing number of detainees who are constantly being transferred from one detention facility to another, making it difficult to alert family or their lawyers, if they have one. 'We have folks who have been detained for months, and we have folks who, within 24 hours, them and their U.S. born-kids were already sent back to their country,' Blanco said. 'There is no way to keep track of the detentions and deportation work." For example, according to Blanco's data, one client was held at Krome, then moved to a Broward County detention facility, and is now at the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center. Another was held in Stuart, Florida, moved to Louisiana, then brought back to Krome to later be deported. One client has been transferred nine times, Blanco said. The constant transfers have allowed the government to place some immigrants on deportation flights before they could speak with family members or attorneys, Blanco added. Most of her daily calls come from desperate families seeking help to locate their detained family members. Before 8 a.m. many day, Ricci also gets frantic calls from clients who say a family member's hearing has been rescheduled for that day and they just found out, which leaves little time to prepare. "That's all part of this intentional system to make it more difficult for people to have a defense," Ricci said. Ana Goñi-Lessan, state watchdog reporter for the USA TODAY Network – Florida, can be reached at agonilessan@ Valentina Palm covers immigration in Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post, a member of the the USA TODAY Network – Florida. Email her at vpalm@ This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: After Tallahassee ICE raid, families struggle to locate loved ones
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Letter campaign advances for Pottsville man held by ICE
POTTSVILLE — The friend of a man detained by ICE is leading a social media campaign to help him by gathering reference letters. On Wednesday from 5:30 to 8 p.m., Kevin Medina is also offering to notarize the letters at no charge. The public is invited to stop by Fratello's Bistro, 420 Nichols St., during those times to get their reference letters notarized on behalf of Ruben Rojas-Vargas. Ruben Rojas-Vargas, 32, who has been in the U.S. for 16 years, was arrested May 30 by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. He is being detained at an ICE facility in Phillipsburg, Centre County, according to the Online Detainee Locator System . Medina, a family friend, notary and insurance agent, started a Facebook appeal asking for letters in support of Rojas-Vargas. Those letters must be notified, however, so Medina is offering to notarize letters free of charge. This week he plans to give them to an immigration lawyer. Any supporters unable to attend Wednesday can send notarized letters to kevinm@ or they can contact him to arrange a meeting place. Medina took to Facebook last weekend to share his friend's story and ask for support. The post has 58,700 views, which surprised him. 'I simply wanted to share with the community and see how they can support him,' Medina said. So far, 85 people have committed to sign letters in support for Rojas-Vargas, a native of Mexico. The young father was going to be fitted for an ankle monitoring device after pleading guilty to a DUI from last year when ICE agents arrested him. 'We all make mistakes,' Medina said Tuesday about his friend's situation. Meanwhile, Pottsville Police Chief John Morrow said Monday he was unaware that ICE agents had taken Rojas-Vargas into custody until he saw Facebook posts. On Tuesday, Schuylkill County Sheriff Groody said he also was unaware that Rojas-Vargas had been arrested, and believes the ICE arrest is the first in the county. While not all comments on social media have been positive, Medina said the support Rojas-Vargas is receiving is heartwarming. The other comments are heartbreaking but not unexpected.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Worcester to release body camera footage of police response to ICE arrest
The 'first phase' of body camera footage taken by Worcester police responding to a crowd that surrounded federal agents detaining a Brazilian woman on May 8 will be released on Friday, Worcester City Manager Eric Batista said. Batista made the announcement during an interview on 'The Talk of the Commonwealth' radio show. 'We are releasing the first phase of body camera footage,' Batista said on the show, shared in a post on X. 'Nothing is redacted in those videos [besides the faces of the minors]' He added that recordings of the 911 calls will also be released. Worcester city spokesperson Tom Matthews and Worcester Police spokesperson Lt. Sean Murtha also confirmed that this information would be released Friday afternoon. Late in the morning of May 8, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained Rosane Ferreira-De Oliveira, 40, of Brazil. The day before, ICE agents stopped a car carrying her 21-year-old daughter, Augusta Clara Moura, 21, and her partner, Samarone Alves Ferreira-De Souza, while driving to work. The two have a 3-month-old son. 'His only 'mistake' was honking at a car that had cut him off,' Clara Moura wrote in the description of a GoFundMe campaign, which has raised more than $5,700 as of Friday. 'That vehicle turned out to be an undercover ICE car, and agents decided to arrest him.' Ferreira-De Souza is currently being held at the Pine Prairie Correctional Facility in Pine Prairie, Louisiana, according to ICE's Online Detainee Locator System (ODLS). The following day, ICE agents came to Clara Moura's home and told her to sign immigration papers and 'demanding I return my partner's car,' she wrote. Clara Moura, her baby and her 17-year-old sister left the house in a car and ICE agents stopped them and told her she was under arrest. 'Since I was with my baby, I called my mother to come take my son,' Clara Moura wrote. ICE agents detained Ferreira-De Oliveira and put her inside a car before Clara Moura's 17-year-old sister approached the car. After 11 a.m., a crowd formed and ICE agents called Worcester police to the scene. Clara Moura's sister, carrying Clara Moura's baby, stood in front of the car and tried to stop it, police said in a previous statement. She handed the baby to another woman before she ran up to the car and kicked the passenger side door as it drove away. Officers pushed her to the ground and arrested her for reckless endangerment of a child, disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Additionally, Worcester School Committee candidate Ashley Spring was also arrested in connection with the incident. Spring was charged with assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, disorderly conduct and interfering with police officers. Spring was released on her own personal recognizance and is scheduled to return to court for a pre-trial hearing on June 23. Andrew George Lattarulo, Clara Moura's lawyer, told MassLive on Thursday that ICE threatened to arrest Clara Moura and her 17-year-old sister, an account that matches exclusive reporting from Rolling Stone Magazine, which reported that Clara Moura and her sister were used as 'bait' for ICE to arrest their mother. Clara Moura's sister has since been released from custody and is now with family friends, along with Clara Moura, Clara Moura's baby and another sister who is also a child. Ferreira-De Oliveira, who comes from Brazil, is currently being detained at the Wyatt Detention Center, in Central Falls, R.I., according to ICE's Online Detainee Locator System (ODLS). The incident has stirred tensions in the city, with protesters standing outside City Hall on three occasions since the day of Ferreira-De Oliveira's arrest. Ahead of a planned protest outside City Hall on Tuesday, the night of a city council meeting, officials announced that the meeting would be held remotely. On the morning of the meeting, Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty said the decision to go remote was out of precaution as elected officials and city employees 'received threats of violence' and 'faced threatening calls and emails.' ICE must show more integrity in deportation arrests (The Republican Editorials) Boston Puerto Rican restaurant opens second location in Worcester Worcester taxi driver attacked after requesting cab fare, police say Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Living in fear': Daughter of woman taken by ICE in Worcester sets up GoFundMe to support family
The daughter of a woman who was detained by federal agents in Worcester last week, which has led to protests and tensions in the city, created a GoFundMe campaign to support her and her family. Augusta Clara Moura, 21, who set up the fundraiser, explained what happened leading up to the incident on Eureka Street on May 8. That day, her mother, Rosane Ferreira-De Oliveira, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, with Clara's sister and Worcester School Committee candidate Ashley Spring both arrested by Worcester police in connection with the incident. 'Everything began the day before, when ICE arrested my partner [Samarone Alves Ferreira-De Souza] — the father of my 3-month-old son — while he was driving to work," Clara Moura wrote. 'He had committed no crime. His only 'mistake' was honking at a car that had cut him off. That vehicle turned out to be an undercover ICE car, and agents decided to arrest him.' Read more: Honking at undercover ICE car set off Worcester arrest firestorm, family claims Ferreira-De Souza is currently being held at the Pine Prairie Correctional Facility in Pine Prairie, Louisiana, according to ICE's Online Detainee Locator System (ODLS). On the morning of May 8, ICE agents came to Clara Moura's home and told her to sign immigration papers and 'demanding I return my partner's car,' she wrote. Clara Moura, her baby and her 17-year-old sister left the house in a car and ICE agents stopped them and told her she was under arrest. 'Since I was with my baby, I called my mother to come take my son,' Clara Moura wrote. When Ferreira-De Oliveira arrived, ICE agents detained her, her daughter continued. At 11 a.m. that day, Ferreira-De Oliveira was placed in a car in the middle of the streets, according to Jill Phillips of Worcester, who was at the scene. Worcester police were called as people surrounded ICE agents and yelled, 'Where is the warrant?' Ferreira-De Oliveira's other daughter, carrying Clara Moura's baby, stood in front of the car and tried to stop it, police said in a previous statement. She handed the baby to another woman before she ran up to the car and kicked the passenger side door as it drove away. Officers pushed her to the ground and arrested her for reckless endangerment of a child, disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. 'They even tried to take my baby from me, but thanks to neighbors who recorded and protested, they backed down,' Clara Moura wrote in the GoFundMe description. Andrew Georges Lattarulo, Clara Moura's lawyer, told MassLive on Thursday that ICE threatened to arrest Clara Moura and her 17-year-old sister, an account that matches exclusive reporting from Rolling Stone Magazine, which reported that Clara Moura and her sister were used as 'bait' for ICE to arrest their mother. Clara Moura's sister has since been released from custody and is now with family friends, along with Clara Moura, Clara Moura's baby and another sister who is also a child. Ferreira-De Oliveira, who comes from Brazil, is currently being detained at the Wyatt Detention Center, in Central Falls, R.I., according to ICE's Online Detainee Locator System (ODLS). 'Now I am living in fear,' Clara Moura wrote. 'I'm staying with friends, unable to return home or retrieve any of my belongings or my baby's things. I cannot work, and I'm struggling to survive. Please consider supporting me and my family during this nightmare.' So far, the fundraiser set up on Wednesday has received two donations totaling $70, with a $45,000 goal. Donations will go toward food, clothes, shelter, legal fees, bail 'and other urgent expenses,' Clara Moura wrote. 'No amount is too small. Your support means the world right now.' 'Thank you for standing with us,' Clara Moura wrote at the end of the GoFundMe's description. Honking at undercover ICE car set off Worcester arrest firestorm, family claims GoFundMe created to support family of boy killed in Boston school bus crash GoFundMe raises money to send body of construction worker killed in Mass. to Ecuador Read the original article on MassLive.
