(Photo by Matthew Casey - KJZZ)

Attorney Ray Ybarra Maldonado speaks to reporters while flanked by the family of Mesa resident Guadalupe García de Rayos, who was deported Feb. 9, 2017.

Lawyers and activists say the deportation of Mesa resident Guadalupe García de Rayos sent a message to immigrants that they’re better off living in the shadows. 

García de Rayos spent nearly a decade in the United States after getting a felony conviction, and her removal order sat for years gathering dust.

But after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Garcia de Rayos during a regular check-in, they deported her within 24 hours.

García de Rayos’ fate resulted in a flood of calls from clients with similar cases, said Ray Ybarra Maldonado, her attorney.

“A check-in, the purpose of it is to bring you in, run your fingerprints, make sure you haven’t done anything wrong in the last six months or year,” Ybarra Maldonado said. “How are we going to check on people now when they’re so afraid to come in that they’re hiding from you?”

ICE released a statement saying it will continue to focus on deporting people who have a felony conviction and a removal order.