Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos, 36, is an undocumented immigrant, but had been given a pass to remain in the U.S. rather than face deportation for four years.
On Wednesday, she was taken into custody and set to be deported, but protesters in Phoenix blocked the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement van suspected of carrying her, The Arizona Republic reports. The blocked van returned to the ICE facility, but another vehicle left under police escort Wednesday night.
[Guadalupe] was a victim of [Sheriff Joe] Arpaio's raids, and now she is a victim of Trump's deportation machine.
This may make her one of the first people to be deported under ICE's shift in policy under President Trump. An executive order called for increased deportations.
Her two children, both U.S. citizens, and her husband watched in tears as she was taken into custody.
Rayos worked at Golfland Sunsplash in nearby Mesa, when she was arrested in 2008 on charges of identity theft and forgery. The raid was ordered by Sheriff Joe Arpaio. She spent three months in jail and three months in immigration detention. She was ordered back to Mexico in 2013, but her case was on hold, since Obama-era officials opted not to act on the deportation order.
She was reporting for her regularly scheduled immigration checks, The New York Times reports.
About 7 arrests made without force. Everyone remains safe so far. Hoping for continued cooperation and no more criminal conduct.
— Phoenix Police (@phoenixpolice) February 9, 2017
City police reported seven arrests.
Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos in the van. Reflection is her son Angel, 16. pic.twitter.com/cZMjdUi67C
— Daniel Gonzalez (@azdangonzalez) February 9, 2017
This photo captures Garcia in the van.
#BREAKING- Crowd of about 40-50 protestors blocking #ICE deportation vans in PHX. #GuadalupeGarcia believed to be inside. family in tears. pic.twitter.com/nD3BoVNfS7
— Gadi Schwartz (@GadiNBC) February 9, 2017
Dozens of protesters swarmed an ICE van Wednesday night.
Breaking: #GuadalupeGarcia been here since she was 14. Swept up in #ICE raid. Protesters in Arizona blocking van. Man wedged in wheel well pic.twitter.com/zmZuLmfWnR
— Bryan Behar (@bryanbehar) February 9, 2017
One protester wedged himself into a wheel well. He was later arrested, NBC reported.
Been in U.S. for 21yrs,not working,committing felonies,Now their deporting #GuadalupeGarcia, ITS ABOUT TIME!!! #morningjoe #WhyIResist #cnn
— MICHAEL🇺🇸 (@Blu_Collar_Man) February 9, 2017
Trump supporters said the deportation was a long time coming.
#GuadalupeGarcia not a drug dealer or rapist. Mother of 2 and lived in the US for 21 years. You think this MAGA, you're part of the problem
— ♻️ Christopher Zullo (@ChrisJZullo) February 9, 2017
Others thought she had done nothing to deserve deportation.
ICE spokeswoman Yasmeen Pitts O'Keefe said Rayos was detained based on a 2013 order, not Trump's more recent order, The New York Times reported.
But Cecillia Wang, deputy legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union, said Rayos might be the first undocumented immigrant arrested during a scheduled meeting with immigration officials in the Trump administration.
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