ACLU: ICE arrests Portland ‘dreamer’ without warrant
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A 25-year-old man from Mexico who arrived in the U.S. at the age of 5 woke up Sunday morning to Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents banging at his door.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon said ICE agents didn’t have a warrant when they arrested Francisco J. Rodriguez Dominguez at his Southeast Portland home.
“His family said it was terrifying, and they didn’t know what to do,” immigration lawyer Stephen Manning said. “ICE agents were banging on the door. They didn’t have a warrant and were told they couldn’t come in, but they wouldn’t stop banging.”
Andrea Williams, executive director of immigrant rights group Causa Oregon, told KOIN 6 News, if ICE doesn’t have a warrant, families don’t need to respond.
“In this particular instance, the family did open the door,” Williams said. “We’d like to remind families, if ICE doesn’t have a warrant, they don’t need to open the door.”
Rodriguez Dominguez has lived in the Portland metro area since he arrived from Morelia Michoacan, Mexico as a child. The ACLU said he has been a part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program since 2013.
The 25-year-old attended Mt. Hood Community College to study information technology. He works for a community organization and coordinates a food pantry for low-income families. He is also a soccer coach at Glenfair Elementary School.
“He’s someone who actually cares about the community and wants to help,” his sister Elisabeth Rodriguez told KOIN 6 News. “He’s grown up here his whole life, a 5-year-old growing up here, and 25 years later, all of a sudden, boom.”
In December 2016, Rodriguez Dominguez entered a diversion program for a misdemeanor DUI. He completed all of its requirements and satisfied his court dates and meetings, according to the ACLU.
“Despite Francisco’s best efforts to make good on his mistake, ICE has taken the position that even a misdemeanor DUI eligible for diversion is enough to end DACA status,” Williams said. “This policy is tearing apart his family, our communities and does nothing to keep us safer.”
Williams said she believes his participation in the diversion program prompted ICE to pick him up, even though it was determined he was not a danger to the community.
“He was not a flight risk, he was vetted by the court. He had been through the court process and the criminal court had released him back into the community,” she said. “We are concerned about this increased level of aggression on DACA recipients.”
Rodriguez Dominguez was taken to the McAdam building in downtown Portland Sunday morning before being driven to a detention facility in Tacoma, Washington.
KOIN 6 News reached out to ICE for comment but has not heard back.