"Begging for Compassion": Families Appeal as Migrants are Detained during Regular Homeland Security Verification Sessions
In the heart of Manhattan, among unassuming structures, Ambar implores divine intervention and immigration officials for a reprieve, devastated at the thought of Jaen being whisked away in handcuffs from the Elk Street facility.
"I beg of God and them, have mercy on his family. I have no one else. I'm alone with Aranza, I can't bear being separated from him," Ambar confided in our platform, tears welling up as Aranza occupied herself on an iPad.
Yet, her pleas went unanswered that afternoon. Jaen and two others were led away by plainclothes agents, hidden behind masks, and hurried into seemingly ordinary vehicles. An uncontrollable Ambar wailed, desperate for a final chance, while Aranza, now 12, frantically attempted to prevent Jaen from being taken by though the agents, her own tears flowing freely.
Our platform bore witness to Ambar's heart-wrenching collapse on the ground, pleading for her husbands release. The masked individuals made no effort to respond to queries regarding their agency, reason for concealment, or the specific authority employed to detain the men.
Jaen's attorney, Margaret Cargioli, attests to a growing pattern of migrants being detained during check-ins with the Department of Homeland Security, with prompt deportations under expedited removal.
In 2023, our platform shared a poignant interview with the Colombian-Venezuelan family following their tearful reunion post-border separation by U.S. authorities in Texas. Jaen, Ambar, and Aranza had embarked on a perilous journey from Colombia with hopes of seeking asylum in the U.S.
"It was traumatic. A dangerous decision. As a family, we felt we didn't have another option," Jaen explained during the interview.
Throughout their journey, the family was separated and placed in varying types of legal proceedings, eventually being released and transported to Los Angeles by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's Operation Lone Star.
Jaen was issued a removal order under expedited removal, but Cargioli and fellow attorneys with Immigrant Defenders Law Center succeeded in reversing the separation. Jaen was granted humanitarian parole for one year.
Despite petitions for asylum, renewal of parole, and a stay of removal, he remains in limbo, with his applications pending.
Jaen was scheduled for an ISAP check-in on June 16, but was surprisingly relegated to appear on June 3 or 4, per Ambar's account. This sudden change sparked apprehensions within his legal team, who have been observing a surge in interior immigration detentions and prompt removals under the former administration's expedited removal protocol.
Expedited removal permits the government to swiftly deport migrants, forgoing court attendances in certain cases. Initially issued under the Trump administration, it has been expanded under the Biden administration to apply to migrants within two years of entering the U.S.
Jaen's family crossed the border on June 4, 2023, precisely two years before his latest detention, raising Cargioli's suspicion that he may be subjected to expedited removal. Despite her repeated inquiries as to his detainment location and whether it was through expedited removal, the attorney has received no response.
Jaen spoke to Ambar by phone post-detention, though he was uncertain of his whereabouts. He reported that he was being held close to the facility where he was initially detained.
Meanwhile, Ambar and Aranza await an asylum hearing scheduled for 2028, leaving Cargioli to believe that Jaen would still be with his family if they hadn't been separated at the border. ISAP check-ins are conducted through BI Incorporated, according to DHS reports. Jaen has been religiously checking in at the Elk Street office since his initial detention.
Loved ones of those undergoing ISAP check-ins gather outside the facility, hopeful that their relatives will escape detention. On a recent day, one woman rejoiced upon witnessing her relative and baby emerge unshackled, while another was left in distress as her mother was hastily taken away by the masked agents, ignoring her repeated questions about the reason for the detention.
"Mom, what's happening? What is this?" the distressed woman cried. "She didn't do anything. She has a work card."
"Who do we speak to...what is going on?" she implored, watching as the masked agents closed the vehicle door and drove off with her mother.
- "In the midst of the ongoing discussions on politics and general-news, Jaen's attorney, Margaret Cargioli, shared concerns about the increase in immigration-related detentions and expedited removals, citing Jaen's case as a prime example."
- "The heart-wrenching story of Ambar, Jaen, and Aranza has also crossed over into crime-and-justice reporting, with their legal battles and constant check-ins serving as a stark reminder of the broader issues surrounding immigration and the blurred lines between justice and discrimination."
