Attorney: Trump Immigration Policy Behind Detainment Of Mesa Woman
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Federal authorities arrested a Mesa woman Wednesday during a regular check-in at the Phoenix office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Guadalupe García de Rayos faces deportation because an executive order by President Donald Trump broadens immigration enforcement, according to her attorney, Ray Ybarra Maldonado.
Garcia de Rayos has a felony conviction for working under someone else’s Social Security number. She also has kids who are U.S. citizens. The Obama administration put Garcia under supervision and required she do periodic check-ins with ICE.
Garcia de Rayos knew her status could change under Trump. Her supporters chanted in Spanish, “she is not alone,” as she walked into the ICE office with Ybarra Maldonado.
About an hour later, Ybarra Maldonado came out alone. He told Garcia’s family that she’d been arrested and now faces deportation.
“We’re living in an era of a war on immigrants,” Ybarra Maldonado said. “This is President Trump’s first move and it’s now time for our community to organize and fight back.”
ICE released the following statement:
“Ms. Garcia De Rayos is currently being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement based on a removal order issued by the Department of Justice's Executive Office for Immigration Review which became final in May 2013. Relevant databases indicate Ms. Garcia De Rayos has a prior felony conviction dating from March 2009 for criminal impersonation.”
Garcia’s conviction could eventually be overturned because it stems from an unconstitutional raid in 2008 by former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Ybarra Maldonado said.
