Latest news with #SpecialImmigrantJuvenileStatus
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Immigrant rights groups say ICE officers 'ambush noncitizens' in courthouse arrests, ask judge to intervene
Immigrant rights groups are asking a federal judge in Washington, D.C., to provide "emergency relief" and bar the Trump administration from continuing to ramp up its use of expedited removal. The motion, filed on Tuesday, is part of an ongoing lawsuit that is challenging the administration's expansion of the process which allows the government to quickly expel migrants sometimes without going before a judge. The filing has taken a renewed sense of urgency for the groups. In recent weeks, there's been a dramatic spike of arrests in courthouses after DHS moves to dismiss cases against migrants in removal proceedings. "With no advance notice to the noncitizens, Defendants are moving for [immigration judges] to dismiss people's removal proceedings; arresting and detaining people who have appeared for their court hearings as directed; and placing them in expedited removal proceedings, thereby denying them any meaningful opportunity to be heard before quickly removing them," the groups wrote in the filing. The filing added, "This aggressive new implementation of the Rule and Guidance has sown fear in immigrant communities, as noncitizens who have been complying with their legal obligations now face the risk of arrest and summary deportation at their next court dates." MORE: 'Have mercy': Families plead as migrants arrested at routine DHS check-ins The groups accuse ICE officers of coordinating with Department of Homeland Security attorneys and "stationing themselves in immigration courts" to "ambush noncitizens" after their cases are dismissed. Even those who have pending asylum applications and other petitions for relief are being targeted for expedited removal, the groups say. They claim that those who have been detained include "man whose partner was 8 months pregnant and who had applied for asylum, gay couple who feared persecution, asylum seeker married to a U.S. citizen, and 19-year-old who appears eligible for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status." The groups are asking the judge to halt expedited removals while the court battle continues. A senior DHS spokesperson previously defended the courthouse arrests in a statement to ABC News, saying: "Most aliens who illegally entered the United States within the past two years are subject to expedited removals. Biden ignored this legal fact and chose to release millions of illegal aliens, including violent criminals, into the country with a notice to appear before an immigration judge. ICE is now following the law and placing these illegal aliens in expedited removal, as they always should have been." The statement added on the migrants, "If they have a valid credible fear claim, they will continue in immigration proceedings, but if no valid claim is found, aliens will be subject to a swift deportation." Immigrant rights groups say ICE officers 'ambush noncitizens' in courthouse arrests, ask judge to intervene originally appeared on
16 hours ago
- Politics
Immigrant rights groups say ICE officers 'ambush noncitizens' in courthouse arrests, ask judge to intervene
Immigrant rights groups are asking a federal judge in Washington, D.C., to provide "emergency relief" and bar the Trump administration from continuing to ramp up its use of expedited removal. The motion, filed on Tuesday, is part of an ongoing lawsuit that is challenging the administration's expansion of the process which allows the government to quickly expel migrants sometimes without going before a judge. The filing has taken a renewed sense of urgency for the groups. In recent weeks, there's been a dramatic spike of arrests in courthouses after DHS moves to dismiss cases against migrants in removal proceedings. "With no advance notice to the noncitizens, Defendants are moving for [immigration judges] to dismiss people's removal proceedings; arresting and detaining people who have appeared for their court hearings as directed; and placing them in expedited removal proceedings, thereby denying them any meaningful opportunity to be heard before quickly removing them," the groups wrote in the filing. The filing added, "This aggressive new implementation of the Rule and Guidance has sown fear in immigrant communities, as noncitizens who have been complying with their legal obligations now face the risk of arrest and summary deportation at their next court dates." The groups accuse ICE officers of coordinating with Department of Homeland Security attorneys and "stationing themselves in immigration courts" to "ambush noncitizens" after their cases are dismissed. Even those who have pending asylum applications and other petitions for relief are being targeted for expedited removal, the groups say. They claim that those who have been detained include "man whose partner was 8 months pregnant and who had applied for asylum, gay couple who feared persecution, asylum seeker married to a U.S. citizen, and 19-year-old who appears eligible for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status." The groups are asking the judge to halt expedited removals while the court battle continues. A senior DHS spokesperson previously defended the courthouse arrests in a statement to ABC News, saying: "Most aliens who illegally entered the United States within the past two years are subject to expedited removals. Biden ignored this legal fact and chose to release millions of illegal aliens, including violent criminals, into the country with a notice to appear before an immigration judge. ICE is now following the law and placing these illegal aliens in expedited removal, as they always should have been." The statement added on the migrants, "If they have a valid credible fear claim, they will continue in immigration proceedings, but if no valid claim is found, aliens will be subject to a swift deportation."
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Yahoo
Mother Shares Haunting Tale of Sons Being Deported Without Warning: ‘Is This Really Happening?'
A mother took her three sons to a routine check in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, something she had been doing for years since fleeing El Salvador. Moments later, they were gone. She hasn't seen them since. Alma Lopez Diaz had been taking her boys to a Manhattan ICE office for regular immigration check-ins since coming to the United States in 2016, reported New York Magazine. She said it had never been a problem since none of them had a criminal history. Her boys didn't even have a school disciplinary record. They included 19-year-old Josue, an usher at the family's church; and 20-year-old Jose, a recent high school graduate. She also brought her eight-year-old son Mateo, a nonverbal child with a rare neurological disorder called Moebius Syndrome, which causes seizures and requires constant care. Only moments after Diaz's two eldest children went in for their regularly scheduled check-in, they were gone. An ICE officer came out with what little they were forced to left behind: one of her son's wallets and another's debit card. 'They are not going to be returning,' an officer told Diaz. Frantic, Diaz tried to peek behind the curtain where her two sons had disappeared, but they were long gone. She never even got to say goodbye. The two brothers never had a dad in the picture. They grew up in extreme poverty, with their father sending barely enough money to pay for diapers and milk. It's what led them to pursue Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, granted to those under 21 who have suffered abuse, abandonment, or neglect by a parent. They hoped to receive their green cards and stay in the United States permanently. Instead, ICE officers shipped them back to their home country despite a New York Family Court ruling that it was not 'in their best interests' to be returned to El Salvador. Diaz, who in El Salvador sold soda and chips to pay for her sons' education, was regularly threatened by gang members. Diaz, pregnant with her youngest at the time, grew desperate. She fled with her two boys, then 10 and 11, in search of asylum. They were stopped at the border in 2016 to be placed in removal proceedings but were later released into the country. Her sons' dreams were dashed this year when they were detained without warning. They were sent to a center in Buffalo, then later transferred on a 16-hour journey to a cold Louisiana facility. They were shackled for so long that the brothers described phantom pains even after their limbs were unbound. Officers detaining individuals at regular ICE check-ins has become common in the days since President Donald Trump's mass immigration crackdown, and Diaz's children are just two of many. Although the president has in total deported fewer individuals per day than during former President Joe Biden's administration, he's been escalating deportation methods to find and expel people in churches, schools, and visa offices. They've often targeted individuals with no criminal record, and many who show up at ICE offices as required, like Diaz's sons. 'When they can deport, they're deporting,' said Camille Mackler, CEO of Immigrant ARCM which provides legal services. She added that grabbing individuals during an ICE check-in can be an easy way for the government to spike immigration numbers. Today, deportations are being made now almost 'arbitrarily,' said Ala Amoachi, the brothers' lawyer: 'It really depends on when you check in, who's the supervisor of the day. You may be picked up. You may not be. You may be given an ankle bracelet.' Two weeks shy of Josue's high school graduation ceremony and on his mother's birthday last week, he and his brother were loaded on a plane bound south. 'Is this really happening?' Jose remembers thinking. 'I wanted to cry, but I wasn't able to.' Diaz is unable to leave her youngest son, who has been distraught over his brothers leaving. 'I don't know what would be the next time that I would be able to see them again,' she said. 'It would probably have to be many years.' The Daily Beast has reached out to ICE for comment.
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Yahoo
El Salvadoran mother reunites with son after ICE arrest despite legal status
The Brief Kevin Zaldaña, an El Salvadoran immigrant with proper documentation, was unexpectedly detained by ICE during an operation in Fresno, Texas, causing distress for his family. After weeks of uncertainty, Zaldaña was reunited with his mother in Houston, where he expressed relief and shared the emotional impact of his detention. U.S. Customs and Immigration Services have approved Zaldaña's application for permanent residency, with his green card expected to arrive soon, while ICE has not commented on the incident. HOUSTON - After weeks of uncertainty, an El Salvadoran mother and her son are back home in Houston following his unexpected detention by ICE during an operation in Fresno, Texas. Despite having proper documentation, Kevin Zaldaña was arrested and detained, leaving his family in distress. What they're saying Kevin Zaldaña expressed relief at being reunited with his mother, Yolanda Santos, after his release. "It took me by surprise because I was certain that I wouldn't be arrested. I have social security, I have all my documentation in order. All of a sudden, they took me and put handcuffs on me," Zaldaña said. The incident occurred while Zaldaña was at work during an ICE operation targeting gang members. Despite presenting his documents, ICE officials claimed they were fake and that he had a deportation order. "The ICE official told me that I didn't show up in the system and that my social security was fake and that I had an order of deportation. I knew that was a lie. So everything took me by surprise," he explained. What we know Zaldaña, 20 years old, entered the U.S. legally through the Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJ), known as the "Juvenile Visa," a humanitarian program allowing certain immigrant youths to apply for lawful permanent residency. He was arrested by ICE during an operation, then released on bond. Zaldaña arrived in the U.S. when he was 14 and has been working to provide for his visually impaired mother since he was 16, using a work visa through SIJ classification. However, ICE suspected him of being a gang member and accused him of being in the country illegally. Zaldaña was on lunch break with some of his co-workers on Feb. 25. On their way back to work, a patrol officer trailed behind their car and pulled them over, according to Zaldaña. He was asked if he was a gang member, and if he had any tattoos. He was also asked if he had a criminal record. "I responded no," he said. "My son is not a criminal. He was arrested at work. They didn't arrest him for doing any illicit activity," Santos emphasized. The emotional reunion was captured on camera, marking a moment of joy for both mother and son. "It was a moment of joy. I was so happy to know that my son was coming home after being away. I would often think about his wellbeing. I didn't know if he was sleeping well or if he was eating," Santos said. Since returning home, Zaldaña has been gradually adjusting to normal life. "I'm barely getting some good sleep. I still have nightmares that I'm detained. It's a frustrating feeling, I live in fear," he said. What's next Kevin Zaldaña's fears may soon be alleviated as U.S. Customs and Immigration Services have approved his application for permanent residency, with his green card expected to arrive shortly. ICE did not respond to requests for comment in time for this report. The Source FOX 26's Jonathan Mejia spoke with Kevin Zaldaña and Yolanda Santos.
