A mother from the Portland area, Kenia Jackeline Merlos, along with her four U.S.-born children, has been held in detention by federal immigration officials since June 28, raising concerns about possible violations of federal policy regarding the duration of detention.
The triplets, aged nine, and their seven-year-old brother were taken into custody during a family visit to Peace Arch State Park near the U.S.-Canada border.
Merlos’s detention was followed by the arrest of her husband, who is currently at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing center in Tacoma, Washington.
U.S. Representative Maxine Dexter confirmed the family’s situation after visiting a detention center near Ferndale, Washington. Although she could not speak directly with Merlos and her children, Dexter saw them during her visit to the facility.
Family friend and godparent to one of the children, Mimi Lettunich, shared that Merlos texted her shortly after their detention, saying, “Mimi, I’ve been detained.” Lettunich described the family as wonderful people, stating, “I’ve known them about 20 years.”
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) guidelines stipulate that individuals should not be held for more than 72 hours. However, there have been cases where detentions have extended beyond that period.
In May, OPB reported on a pregnant mother and her family who were held at a facility in Blaine, Washington, for over three weeks.
Details regarding the circumstances of Merlos’s detention remain unclear. According to Jill Nedved, an immigration attorney representing the family, Merlos was traveling with her mother to visit her sister in Canada, while her mother possessed a valid travel visa.
Nedved indicated that while she has been unable to speak directly to Merlos, she has established communication with her husband in Tacoma.
“It is absurd that she has four U.S. citizen children with her, has an attorney, and has no access to legal counsel,” Dexter criticized, underlining communication barriers between the detained couple.
Currently, Carlos Merlos remains detained in Tacoma, while the location of Merlos’s mother is unknown.
A spokesperson for CBP, Jason Givens, stated that Merlos was arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle illegal aliens into the U.S. He noted that the children were present during this purported incident, adding that Merlos requested her children to accompany her during detention.
Nevertheless, Nedved pointed out that Merlos has yet to be charged with any crime, emphasizing the incongruity between the claims made by federal authorities and the lack of legal charges.
“We haven’t been able to speak to Merlos,” Nedved remarked. “To assert that and not be charging her seems discordant to me.”
During a press conference held near the facility, Dexter acknowledged that the CBP staff treated the family “graciously” and that they had access to amenities like a refrigerator and another room. Currently, they appear to be the only detainees in the facility.
Criticism from Dexter was notably aimed at the immigration policies under President Donald Trump’s administration, which she claims has caused undue hardship for families like Merlos’s.
“Trump said he would go after the ‘worst of the worst.’ Instead, his immigration machine is abducting Oregonians without cause — including four U.S. citizen children in my district,” Dexter concluded.
image source from：opb
