ICE is feeling the heat from Democrats and civil rights groups following the arrest of a 23-year-old Mexican man who is believed to be the first DACA (Deferred Action and Childhood Arrivals) recipient arrested under the Trump administration.
Reuters broke the news Tuesday night, though the arrest was made last week by ICE agents who had arrived at the Seattle home of Daniel Ramirez Medina to arrest his father. Ramirez, who was brought to the United States illegally as a child and given a work permit during the Obama administration, was taken into custody as a “self-admitted gang member” and a risk to public safety, ICE said.
Scoop: ICE arrested DACA recipient in Seattle on Fri, still holding him. Came here at age 7, no crim record. Could be a first under Trump
— Dan Levine (@FedcourtJunkie) February 14, 2017
Full exclusive on ICE arrest of DACA recipient who came from Mexico as a child. His lawyers hope it was a mistake https://t.co/BxRoPKzxlV
— Dan Levine (@FedcourtJunkie) February 14, 2017
ICE: Arrested man with DACA status “self-admitted gang member.” #First100 pic.twitter.com/M49UqYYKFv
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 16, 2017
Word of the arrest inspired calls from top Democrats and others that Ramirez be released immediately.
DACA recipients should not be an ICE priority. They are young people working & contributing to this great country.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) February 15, 2017
ICE must provide answers & release Daniel immediately. This action does nothing to make our country safe.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) February 15, 2017
Statement from minority leader @NancyPelosi on the arrest of 23-year-old Daniel Ramirez Medina by @ICEgov officers in Seattle. #DACA pic.twitter.com/e1VHT5h1GR
— Enrique Acevedo (@Enrique_Acevedo) February 15, 2017
I demand the immediate release of 23-year-old DREAMer Daniel Ramirez Medina by immigration authorities. This is unconscionable. pic.twitter.com/XoDkFJ2k7z
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) February 15, 2017
Retweet if you agree: It's wrong to arrest DACA-recipients like Daniel Ramirez Medina, who came here at age 7 & has no crim record #SaveDACA pic.twitter.com/24VIXuGPx4
— Senator Bob Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) February 15, 2017
Unless there’s been a lot of turnover at ICE, “Trump’s deportation force” shouldn’t look much different today than Obama’s deportation force looked in January.
PRESS RELEASE | ICE Must Give #DACA Recipient, Daniel Medina, His Freedom Immediatelyhttps://t.co/8G06Hmsi9e pic.twitter.com/i3tx3aaOiw
— United We Dream (@UNITEDWEDREAM) February 15, 2017
Please pay attention to this: DACA recipients, who are supposed to be federally protected, are now also being targeted by ICE.
— Aura Bogado (@aurabogado) February 15, 2017
ICE has at least one DACA recipient in detention. This is what many have feared: if the most sympathetic of immigrants isn't safe, who is?
— Aura Bogado (@aurabogado) February 15, 2017
There are scared kids all over the US right now who have done nothing wrong but fear ICE agents could kick in their door any minute. #DACA
— Evan Greer (@evan_greer) February 15, 2017
While there’s a lot of talk of “scared kids” whenever DACA is mentioned, it’s worth keeping in mind that this particular scared kid, who was brought to the U.S. illegally at age 7, now is 23 and has a 3-year-old son of his own.
So a DACA guy was detained by #ICE.
What part of "Deferred Action" do libs not understand?— Patrick Johnson (@CBodhar) February 15, 2017
Reuters’ Dan Levine expanded on the story Wednesday evening, noting that the Department of Homeland Security has terminated the permits of about 1,500 DACA recipients due to a criminal conviction or gang affiliation. Ethan Dettmer, an attorney representing Ramirez, claims that ICE agents repeatedly pressured him while in custody to “falsely admit his [gang] affiliation.”
Homeland Security casting arrest of Daniel Ramirez near Seattle as part of existing DACA policy https://t.co/bBxgJY4zAa
— Dan Levine (@FedcourtJunkie) February 16, 2017
ICE has been getting plenty of press over the past couple of days as stories like the following gain traction on social media.
ICE went into courthouse, arrested victim of domestic abuse on tip from her abuser. She was getting protective order https://t.co/fbJWP8kZ6C
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) February 16, 2017
6 ICE agents arrested an undocumented woman at a courtroom as she received a protective order.
they were tipped off by her domestic abuser. https://t.co/Qj0On0kHPY
— Jesse Lehrich (@JesseLehrich) February 16, 2017
I need a thesaurus. What's another word for horrifying? Sick? Awful? Running out of adjectives these days that mean unconscionably terrible https://t.co/jFs2istGbH
— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) February 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/KirstenPowers/status/832084273939218432
Read the article. She'd been deported six times, arrested at least three for stolen mail, false imprisonment, and assault. https://t.co/y3lREFL8KQ
— David Steinberg (@realDSteinberg) February 16, 2017
And this one …
This: @ICEgov stakes out church hypothermia shelter (bc we want ppl to avoid seeking help when faced with death) https://t.co/B9upw7Oa0F
— Tom Jawetz (@TomJawetz) February 16, 2017
ICE agents must be tired of playing the bad guy all the time, and it looks like the agency is pulling a Trump and acting as its own public relations agent on social media rather than wait for the press to report on less sensational stories.
ICE removes Dominican national wanted for murder https://t.co/qTF8k7PjI0 pic.twitter.com/CxjA4UzHGJ
— ICE (@ICEgov) February 10, 2017
ICE Phoenix officers deport convicted felon to Mexico to face 1999 kidnapping charges https://t.co/e6Tekctm2l pic.twitter.com/O3tiCr60jf
— ICE (@ICEgov) February 11, 2017
Human trafficking is one of the most heinous crimes that ICE investigates https://t.co/u1LTrsVtQZ #endtrafficking pic.twitter.com/PosOAbZ8Rw
— ICE (@ICEgov) February 15, 2017
Reports of ICE checkpoints and sweeps or “roundups” are false, dangerous and irresponsible.
— ICE (@ICEgov) February 16, 2017
These reports create mass panic and put communities and law enforcement personnel in unnecessary danger.
— ICE (@ICEgov) February 16, 2017
Any groups falsely reporting such activities are doing a disservice to those they claim to support.
— ICE (@ICEgov) February 16, 2017
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with additional tweets.
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