Latest news with #Rambana&Ricci
USA Today
6 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
6 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
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Is 90 Day Fiance's Gino Responsible for Jasmine's Baby With Matt Amid K-1 Visa Process? Experts Explain
Two legal experts exclusively explain to In Touch how 90 Day Fiancé star Gino Palazzolo could be financially responsible for his estranged wife, Jasmine Pineda's baby after she had a child with new partner Matt Branistareanu. 'Whether a person is liable for child support, it's basically ruled by state law, so we would have to review the rules in the state of Michigan,' Aníbal Romero, Attorney at Law and Owner of The Romero Firm, tells In Touch. 'But there are states that when the person is married, there is a presumption that the child belongs to the married couple and yes, they are both responsible for the child even if a DNA test comes back negative. Again, it depends on state law, and we would have to review the case in Michigan, under Michigan law, to decide whether this person is liable or not.' Elizabeth Ricci, Partner at Rambana & Ricci, gives more insight into the role that Gino, 56, might play in this dynamic. Elizabeth exclusively tells In Touch that because Gino is still legally Jasmine's husband and because he is the sponsor of Jasmine's K-1 visa, he is 'considered the putative father [of her child], regardless of paternity, under Michigan law.' A putative father 'is a man whose legal relationship to a child has not been established, but claims to be the father or who is alleged to be the father of a child,' according to the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA). This means that Gino could be found liable for child support for Jasmine's baby. Gino could also be on the hook for any unpaid hospital bills for the child. Additionally, Jasmine's pregnancy with another man's child could have also affected her status in the United States. For most K-1 visa applicants, the first step of the process is to marry within 90 days of the foreign spouse's arrival in the States. The second step is that the K-1 visa sponsor (or the partner who is a United States citizen) files an adjustment of status to then turn the foreign spouse's K-1 visa into a green card. But if Jasmine and Gino split before her adjustment of status could be processed, on top of the fact that she had a baby with another man, she would have been facing even more difficulties in her immigration status, according to Elizabeth. 'If USCIS found out about the pregnancy, [Gino and Jasmine] would probably be denied if they can't prove their intention to have a life together despite the infidelity and pregnancy,' she explains. 'Immigration law requires that the K-1 beneficiary [Jasmine] be adjusted through the K-1 petitioner [Gino] so even if the couple divorced and the other man [Matt] petitioned for her, it would be an uphill immigration battle.' Jasmine, 38, is known for her relationship with Gino as the couple chronicled their journey from their first meeting in Panama to their June 2023 wedding on the 90 Day Fiancé franchise. After their wedding, Gino promised to file the necessary paperwork to bring Jasmine's two sons from Panama — after they were left off her original visa application. During the series, Jasmine was heartbroken to learn it could take up to two years before her children would be able to join her in the United States. The couple also fought over Gino's procrastination in filing Jasmine's adjustment of status paperwork. However, in February 2025, Gino hinted that he eventually did file the paperwork and Jasmine had been in possession of her green card for more than a year. Fans watched as Gino and Jasmine attempted to give their marriage one last try on season 2 of 90 Day: The Last Resort, which began airing on TLC in December 2024. As a way to remedy their sexless marriage, Gino agreed to have an open marriage and approved of Jasmine's new partner, Matt, 37. Fans were shocked when Jasmine announced her pregnancy with baby No. 3 in February, revealing that the father was not Gino, but Matt. Jasmine later insisted that she was faithful in her marriage, explaining that she and Gino separated 'two weeks' after filming for 90 Day: The Last Resort season 2 wrapped in April 2024, and that they had been apart for 'almost five months' before she became pregnant. She and Matt welcomed their daughter, Matilda, on March 21.
Miami Herald
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Florida changes the rule on driver's-license renewals for legal immigrants
Legal immigrants in Florida will need to spend more time at swamped DMV offices under a state rule shortening the time their driver's licenses will be valid. The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Division sent out an advisory this week mandating that new licenses and ID cards for legal immigrants expire no later than one year after they're issued. Existing guidance on the agency's website had given a longer window, saying the expiration dates should match the last day their visas or other legal documents allow them to remain in the United States, which could be far longer than a year. Elizabeth Ricci, an immigration lawyer in Tallahassee who specializes in DMV issues, said the new guidance doesn't impact green-card holders. But for immigrants with work visas or long-term allowances, they'll only be given licenses lasting up to 12 months the next time they need an extension or address change. 'You're going to have to go back every year,' said Ricci, a partner at Rambana & Ricci. 'This is an effort to make licenses more difficult to obtain in Florida.' The new rule was made public Friday in a press release from the Miami-Dade County Tax Collector's Office, which runs some DMV offices in the Miami area. It's not clear what prompted the state's notice. The one-year cap appears to already be mandated by Florida law, as cited in the advisory. A spokesperson for the Highway Safety agency was not available for comment on Friday afternoon. The advisory shouldn't have an immediate impact on the lines that have swamped DMV offices in Miami and across Florida in advance of the nationwide Real ID travel restrictions going into effect next week. The one-year rule only affects renewals, not the expiration dates on existing licenses. But it will have an outsized impact in South Florida, with its large immigrant population. Florida's updated guidance will mean more return trips next year for immigrants who previously could get their licenses and ID cards renewed for multiple years at a time. Miami-Dade Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez said he implemented the change this week after getting the state notice. Already, he said, people who came in with visas lasting several years were sent away with one-year licenses. 'If your papers say four years, I can only give you one year,' he said.
