Thread: 22-Year-Old Immigrant Rights Activist Detained By Border Patrol In Boyle Heights

BY JULIA WICK IN NEWS ON MAY 18, 2017 6:20 PM

Claudia Rueda, a 22-year-old immigrant rights activist, was detained by Customs and Border Patrol agents on Thursday morning in Boyle Heights. The Cal State L.A. student and Immigrant Youth Coalition organizer has been prominent in local activism efforts, and led protests after her mother Teresa Vidal-Jaime was detained last month. Vidal-Jaime was picked up by federal authorities during a large-scale drug bust at the Boyle Heights apartment complex where she lives; she was later cleared of any involvement, but still faces deportation.

At the time, some in the immigrant rights community viewed Vidal-Jaime's arrest as retribution for her daughter's activism, according to the L.A. Times.

Centro CSO‏
@CentroCSO
Shout to daughter Claudia for remaining strong in support of her mother #FreeTeresa in downtown L.A. #Not1More deportation

7:26 PM - 25 Apr 2017

According to a Facebook post from the Immigrant Youth Coalition, Rueda and her family were the targets of a raid conducted by federal officials early this morning in Boyle Heights. IYC's post states that agents attempted to enter the family home but were denied access after failing to provide a warrant. Rueda was moving her mother's car for street cleaning at the time, and was detained somewhere outside the home without anyone being notified. After not knowing where she was for several hours, organizers and loved ones were able to determine that she had been detained and moved to a detention center in Chula Vista.

Rueda has lived most of her life in the United States and is studying Latin American Studies at Cal State L.A., according to a statement from the Democratic Socialists of America, Los Angeles chapter. The DSA-LA reports that she is eligible for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) protection and "has been preparing for apply for DACA but had been unable to gather the money for the filing fees."

“Claudia is an extremely supportive, empowering, and hard working friend. All throughout high school, she encouraged students to continue their studies in higher education, becoming involved in afterschool programs like ESCALERA," her best friend told the DSA. "Throughout our college career, she has continuously supported me, offered her home, and her wisdom to continue being a hardworking student and following our passions.”

It remains unclear why Rueda was detained. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson told LAist that ICE was not involved in the action, which was reportedly carried out by Customs and Border Patrol. CBP led the raid on the home last month that Rueda's mother was swept up in, but it also remains unclear if this was in any way related. No one from CBP was able to comment, despite repeated attempts to get in touch.

CA Immigrant Youth‏
@CIYJA
.@CBPLosAngeles @CustomsBorder @CBPSanDiego release #DACA eligible youth back to her family and loved ones!

4:52 PM - 18 May 2017

http://laist.com/2017/05/18/claudia_rueda.php

E-verify and get these ILLEGALS out of our schools.

Deporting illegal alien activist is a great tactical move. Getting rid of their 'voices' greatly reduces their ability to organize as a movement. Cut off the snakes head and the rest of the body will shrivel up and die.

Deport Claudia!

Good, that'll teach her to keep her mouth shut next time. Goodbye and good riddance.

DEPORT!!!!!

Protesters slam ICE, Border Patrol after arrest of immigrant activist in Boyle Heights

June 1, 2017
By Brenda Gazzar

Students and community members, irate over the arrest of immigrant rights activist and Cal State L.A. student Claudia Rueda outside her Boyle Heights home, rallied in her support and against federal authorities Thursday in Los Angeles.

Rueda was among seven people arrested on May 18 during a joint U.S. Border Patrol-L.A. County Sheriff’s operation targeting a cross-border narcotics smuggling organization that was conducted in various locations, authorities said. The 22-year-old Mexican national, however, was arrested for residing in the country after her visa had expired.

Rueda’s supporters claim the arrest was retaliation for her activism on behalf of her mother, Teresa Vidal-Jaime, who was arrested by Border Patrol agents in April and processed for deportation proceedings.

“Today we’re here because Claudia is one of our members and a dear friend to all of us,” said Marcela Hernandez of the Immigrant Youth Coalition. “And we are asking for her freedom but also for the freedom of all the other community members, all her neighbors, that were also detained.”

Hernandez said she also attended the rally to “denounce Border Patrol’s abusive practices.”

Rueda’s mother, Vidal-Jaime, was picked up by Border Patrol agents for an immigration violation in April after a drug bust at the Boyle Heights apartment complex where she lived.

That raid included the arrest of Vidal-Jaime’s husband by sheriff’s deputies on suspicion of drug possession — with investigators seizing 33 pounds of cocaine, an ounce of crystal methamphetamine and some $630,000 in illicit U.S. currency, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol statement.

After the arrest, Rueda had joined supporters of her mom — who was later reportedly released on bail and found not to be involved in drug trafficking — in protest of her mother’s detention.

On Thursday, nearly 30 people, including students, community members, neighborhood activists and a college professor, gathered in front of the Boyle Heights apartment building where Rueda was arrested by Border Patrol.

Some held up signs that said “Free Claudia,” voicing support not just for Rueda but other immigrants held in detention.

Leonardo Vilchis of the organization “Union de Vecinos” or Union of Neighbors said people are now afraid to walk down city streets in light of recent Border Patrol and ICE arrests.

“We say this to the mayor (of Los Angeles)...It is not enough to know our rights when they are taking us in their vans and sending us back to the border,” he said.

Rueda was transferred to the authority of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on May 19, according to an ICE spokeswoman. She’s been placed in removal proceedings before the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review.

It’s now up to an immigration judge to determine whether Rueda has legal grounds to remain in the U.S. or will be ordered removed, the spokeswoman said.

http://www.dailynews.com/social-affa...-boyle-heights

June 9, 2017

SAN DIEGO (CBSLA.com/AP) — A judge on Friday ordered the release of a Mexican woman while the government seeks to deport her, rejecting arguments that two arrests while demonstrating in support of people in the United States illegally justified requiring that she wear a monitoring device.

Claudia Rueda, 22, was on her way back to her home in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Boyle Heights from San Diego Friday night after spending about three weeks in custody.

“I just want to say thank you to everyone throughout the state that has been helping me,” Rueda said in a video taken just after her release.

Rueda plans to apply for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a program started in 2012 under President Barack Obama that shields immigrants who came to the U.S. as young children from being deported. Her case has drawn attention because she has no criminal record and is an immigration activist.

The immigration judge, Annie S. Garcy, said holding Rueda without bond was “unduly severe” and allowed her to be released on her own recognizance. She noted Ruedas’ academic and other achievements and was incredulous when a government attorney asked that Rueda be required to wear a monitoring device.

“Wow, an ankle bracelet? Really?” said Garcy, who is on temporary assignment from Newark, New Jersey, under an administration effort to give higher priority to cases along the U.S. border with Mexico.

The attorney, Matthew Hanson, responded that Rueda was arrested twice, once for trespassing and once for disorderly conduct. Her attorney, Monika Langarica, said those arrests occurred during peaceful demonstrations to support people in the country illegally. She was charged in only one case, which was dismissed.

Rueda, a student at California State University, Los Angeles, was arrested on immigration charges May 18 outside a relative’s Los Angeles home in connection with what the U.S. Border Patrol said was a drug smuggling investigation. Her mother, Teresa Vidal-Jaime, was arrested on immigration violations in April in connection with the same investigation and later released from custody. Neither Rueda nor her mother was arrested on drug charges.

“She was arrested six days after the release of her mom from ICE custody,” her attorney Monika Langarica said. “In anticipation of her mom’s release from ICE custody, Claudia led a really successful public campaign to garner support for her mom’s release. And upon being released, six days later, Border Patrol showed up at Claudia’s family’s home. I’m not prepared to speak to the motive, but I think if one looks at the timeline of events, it looks very targeted.”

In a statement, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said it will comply with Friday’s order to release Rueda and will consider any additional requests by her attorney.

Langarica submitted a brief that ran more than 100 pages in support of Rueda that included letters from Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and U.S. Rep. Karen Bass, a Los Angeles Democrat.

President Donald Trump has upheld Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals while expanding the scope of immigrants subject to deportation beyond people with criminal convictions. During Trump’s first 100 days in office, ICE said it arrested more than 41,000 people on immigration charges, an increase of nearly 40 percent from the same period a year earlier. Nearly 75 percent had criminal convictions.

Rueda didn’t apply for the Obama-era program to shield young immigrants from deportation because she couldn’t afford the $465 application fee, Langarica said. A scholarship fund has since agreed to pay the fee, now $495.

The 15-minute hearing was held under tight security at a privately-run detention facility in San Diego, where Rueda has been held. A band played cumbia and ranchera music for a small crowd of supporters.

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2017/...se-of-student/