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Court documents released Wednesday reveal 23-year-old Daniel Ramirez Medina — granted temporary legal status in 2014 under President Obama’s deferred action for childhood arrivals program, DACA — was arrested in Seattle, Washington, on Friday and remains in custody while lawyers challenge his detention.
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It is thought that Ramirez is the first DACA recipient arrested under President Trump’s new immigration enforcement regime which has arrested over 680 undocumented migrants since nationwide raids began last week.
Ramirez, who was brought from Mexico at age 7 and is the father to a 3-year-old U.S citizen, was arrested on Friday at his father’s home despite having no criminal record and having his legal status renewed in 2016 after Immigration and Customs Enforcement determined he posed no threat to public safety.
"We are hoping this detention was a mistake," said Ramirez Medina’s lawyer, Ethan Dettmer, who has filed a lawsuit challenging the detention.
ICE agents reportedly came to Ramirez Medina's house to arrest his father, who is also in custody, though court documents did not reveal the charges through which ICE is holding the father.
Given Ramirez's legal status — which remains intact despite a new executive order by President Trump targeting undocumented migrants — the reason for his arrest is unclear.
An ICE spokesperson issued a statement alleging Ramirez has unspecified and unsubstantiated “gang ties,” however his lawyers say there is no justification for the allegation.
"While in custody, he was repeatedly pressured by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to falsely admit affiliation," said Dettmer. "The statement issued tonight by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is not accurate."
In 2012, then-President Barack Obama created the DACA program after years of community organizing by young undocumented migrants, known as Dreamers, who were brought to the U.S. as children.
Since it was established via executive order, 750,000 Dreamers have been granted temporary and renewable status on the condition they study or work and avoid criminal charges.
Since his election, President Trump has sent mixed messages about how his administration will treat DACA recipients. During one interview last month, Trump said in the same sentence that the Dreamers are "here illegally" but that "they shouldn’t be very worried."
This latest arrest has in fact left many worried that the Trump administration has broken what was a key promise that the government would not target undocumented children.
A hearing on Ramirez's detention is scheduled for this Friday.
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