Houston residents detained by ICE despite documentation

HOUSTON – The Houston Chronicle reports that Houston mother Yolanda Ramirez choked back tears as she said her 20-year-old son, Kevin, was detained by ICE officers last week at his workplace, despite having a work permit and no criminal record. Ramirez, who is a visually impaired single mother, said one of her sons committed suicide in recent years, leaving Kevin to be the only one to care for her. Her son, who she said was “treated like a dog,” is able to apply for permanent residency after filing a Special Immigrant Juvenile petition more than four years ago. Houston residents detailed being detained by ICE and U.S Borders and Customs Protection, despite having documents showing legal residency or legal work status, at a news conference held by FIEL, Houston’s largest immigrant advocacy group. Immigration lawyer Susana Hart, who represents Ramirez’ son, Kevin Alexander Zaldana Ramirez, said she’s been asking ICE why Kevin was detained and getting no response.

ICE representatives told the Houston Chronicle the agency was looking into Kevin Ramirez’ case Thursday, but did not provide a statement as of Thursday evening. U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Houston had not responded to calls from the Chronicle as of Thursday evening. FIEL Executive Director Cesar Espinosa said the cases represent the first his organization knows of in Houston where residents in the country legally were still detained by ICE. The cases, which occurred on the heels of a mass immigration operation in Colony Ridge near Houston near the end of February and a workplace raid at a Spring business this week, represent a worrying trend toward rash detainment of documented immigrants and those without criminal records, immigrant lawyers and FIEL said at the news conference. “It’s very possible that because ICE operations are being sped up, the officers might not be aware of what protections a person might have,” Hart said.