A mother from the Portland area, along with her four children who are U.S. citizens, has been in the custody of federal immigration officials for two weeks, raising concerns about a potential breach of federal policy on detention duration.
Kenia Jackeline Merlos, her nine-year-old triplet daughters, and her seven-year-old son were taken into custody on June 28 at the Peace Arch State Park near the U.S.-Canada border.
This incident occurred while they were visiting, and shortly thereafter, Merlos’s husband was also detained, currently held at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing center in Tacoma, Washington.
U.S. Representative Maxine Dexter visited the detention center near Ferndale, Washington, to confirm the family’s presence there.
During her visit, she was unable to speak with Merlos and her children but did manage to see them.
A family friend, Mimi Lettunich, who is a godparent of Merlos’s youngest child, shared that Merlos sent her a text shortly after their detention, stating simply, “Mimi, I’ve been detained.”
Lettunich expressed her concern for the family, noting, “I’ve known them about 20 years. They’re wonderful people.”
According to the regulations set by Customs and Border Protection (CBP), individuals should not be held in custody for more than 72 hours.
However, there have been cases where detention has extended well beyond this timeframe. In May, OPB reported the prolonged detention of a pregnant mother, her partner, and their four children in a facility in Blaine, Washington, for over three weeks.
Details surrounding the circumstances that led to Merlos and her family’s detention remain unclear.
Jill Nedved, an immigration attorney representing the family, believes that Merlos was traveling with her mother to visit her sister in Canada, while her mother possessed a valid travel visa.
Nedved noted that she has been unable to communicate directly with Merlos but has been in contact with her husband at the Tacoma facility.
In her statements, Dexter emphasized the absurdity of the situation, pointing out that Merlos has U.S. citizen children, has legal representation, and still lacks access to legal counsel.
She also highlighted the difficulty in connecting Merlos with her detained husband, which has hindered their ability to comprehend their respective legal situations.
While OPB verified that Carlos Merlos is being held at the Tacoma center, there’s uncertainty regarding the location of Merlos’s mother, who was also detained.
A CBP spokesperson, Jason Givens, stated that agents arrested Merlos under the allegation of attempting to smuggle illegal aliens into the U.S. on June 28.
Givens mentioned that the children were present during this alleged smuggling incident and that Merlos requested to keep her children with her during the detention process.
However, Nedved countered that Merlos has not been formally charged with any crime, and there has been no receipt of court documents from federal immigration authorities.
Nedved expressed skepticism regarding the CBP statement about the alleged smuggling attempt, citing the lack of charges as seemingly contradictory.
At a press conference close to the facility, Dexter remarked that staff at the CBP had been treating the family kindly, providing access to amenities such as a refrigerator and a private room.
She noted that they are currently the only detainees at that facility.
In her address, Dexter redirected criticism toward President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, accusing the administration of targeting innocent individuals rather than addressing serious criminal threats in immigration enforcement.
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