Unauthorized mother of four, recognized by Time Magazine, edges into the limelight as another target of Trump's aggressive immigration enforcement
In the heat of the Trump Administration's immigration crackdown, symbolized by the arrest of a renowned woman named Jeanette Vizguerra, fear and chaos have been on the rise.
A hardworking mother of four, Jeanette, a Target employee, was snatched by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during her break at a Denver-area Target store, her tearful daughter Luna Baez confirmed to CNN.
This stubborn fighter for immigrant rights gained prominence in 2017, having sought refuge in a Colorado church for three years to dodge deportation, and featuring on Time Magazine's list of the World's 100 Most Influential people. Joining the ranks of John Lewis, Colin Kaepernick, Jeff Bezos, Vladimir Putin, and Donald Trump herself.
ICE's brazen actions met profound disapproval from local leaders. Colorado Governor Jared Polis demanded ICE to focus on dangerous offenders, insisting that Jeanette, an American citizen's mother and Target employee, deserved due process. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston labeled the arrest as Soviet-style political oppression, stating emphatically, "This is not immigration enforcement. This is a mother of American citizens, a Target employee, and a nonprofit founder."
Jeanette's arrest has added fuel to the flames, joining a list of influential immigrants ensnared in Trump's immigration dragnet. To cite a few instances, a Brown University professor and physician was deported following allegations of attending a Hezbollah leader's funeral, while a Columbia University student protest leader was detained by immigration agents.
However, Jeanette's high-profile detention stands out not only for her prominence in the immigrant-rights movement but also for reports of being shadowed by unmarked vehicles before her arrest, according to her daughter Luna.
The resilient activist's arrest sparked vehement criticism from concerned citizens. Among them was John Fabbricatore, a former ICE field director, who gloated over her detention despite earlier keeping her from deportation in 2021. However, his exuberant celebratory post on X drew criticism from Jeanette's family and supporters.
Jeanette's ardent followers have launched petitions to challenge her detention in both Denver's federal court and the 10th US Circuit Court of Appeals. On the day of her arrest, a crowd of supporters rallied outside the Aurora detention facility where they believed Jeanette was being held. Emotions ran high as Luna, Jeanette's daughter, addressed the crowd, expressing her heartfelt plea for her mother's return.
As the struggle for justice continues, supporters describe Jeanette as a staunch pillar of the community and a mother whose absence leaves an aching void in the lives of her children and countless families she's assisted over the years.
Despite the risks and uncertainties surrounding her activism, Jeanette has remained vocal about the dangers faced by undocumented immigrants, as she expressed in an interview with CNN: "Regardless of where - hospitals, schools, churches - everyone lives in constant fear, even if they've spent 40, 50 years here."
- Jeanette Vizguerra, the Target employee and renowned immigration rights advocate, found herself in the crosshairs of a deportation Order during the Trump Administration, making headlines in magazines like Time.
- Amidst the heightened tension of the immigration crackdown, local leaders, including Colorado Governor Jared Polis and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, expressed disapproval of ICE's actions towards Jeanette, particularly her detention at a Denver-area Target store.
- Despite facing deportation, Jeanette's advocacy for undocumented immigrants continues, with her supporters launching petitions in Denver's federal court and the 10th US Circuit Court of Appeals, aiming to secure her release and highlighting the fears felt by immigrants, including herself, regardless of their contributions to society.
