Recent detentions at a South Loop immigration facility in Chicago have raised significant concerns among advocates and families following several apprehensions.
According to reports, many individuals who were detained unexpectedly showed up for what they thought were routine check-ins.
Marina Lopez, a mother of three and an asylum seeker from Guatemala, is among those currently held.
After arriving for her appointment, Lopez has now been transferred to the Broadview detention center, where she faces possible deportation.
Her attorney, Cynthia Fernández, recounted that Lopez had entered the appointment hopeful, even bringing her Bible and praying before going in.
Despite having received a work permit 10 years ago, her immigration case has languished due to a previous arrest at the border six months prior.
Fernández noted that Lopez had prepared her family for the possibility of detention, discussing her situation with her husband and children and ensuring documents like passports and birth certificates were in order.
Speaking from their home in Ingleside, Lopez’s husband shared the emotional toll of separation, particularly on their young daughter.
He expressed the heartbreak as their daughter, accustomed to her mother’s presence, repeatedly asked where she was.
While Lopez was aware of the risks, many others detained that day were caught off guard.
Some, like Karla Gil Naranjo, arrived under the impression they were fulfilling procedural requirements, having received texts that prompted their return.
Naranjo, who is involved with her community through work and volunteering, now remains unaccounted for by her family, highlighting the confusion and anxiety surrounding the detentions.
Pastor John Zayas of Grace & Peace Church, who spoke at an Immigration Heritage Month luncheon, criticized the actions of ICE as lacking due process.
He described Naranjo as a devoted individual who has followed the immigration process correctly, expressing dismay over what he labeled a set-up during her routine check-in with ICE.
Zayas’ remarks reflect a broader frustration within the immigrant community concerning ICE’s recent operations, especially since they seem to ensnare those trying to comply with the law.
Lopez’s trial is complex due to the conflicting information regarding her compliance with immigration orders.
On the day of her detention, Lopez received a call from an immigration officer asking if she would sign a document that would authorize her U.S. citizen children’s deportation alongside her.
She declined to sign the paper, demonstrating her determination to protect her children’s rights.
In a statement released Wednesday, an ICE spokesperson defended the agency’s actions, asserting that all individuals arrested had executable final orders of removal from an immigration judge and had not complied with those orders.
However, López’s attorney plans to file a stay, which could potentially halt the deportation process for Lopez.
As families grapple with the implications of these detentions, community leaders are calling for investigations into what some are dubbing as entrapment tactics by ICE.
The crackdown has left many feeling uncertain about their future, fostering a climate of fear among immigrants in the area.
Advocates for immigration reform continue to push for just treatment of those who abide by the legal processes, appealing to both local and national authorities for change.
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