In what is being called a significant lapse in the immigration enforcement system, two Osceola County residents have been returned to their Florida home, following what the Arroyo Law Firm describes as unjust detainment and transfer by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to a Texas deportation facility. The firm held a press conference in Orlando, as reported by ClickOrlando, where tales of the botched handling of immigrants with lawful papers were brought to light.
One of the immigrants at the center of this controversy, Jennifer Rodriguez Jimenez, faced a minor charge, which had been dismissed. Yet, an ICE detainer led to her being whisked away to face months of separation from her family in Texas for deportation proceedings—this despite her having no criminal record and possessing legal documentation, including a social security card and a valid driver's license, details confirmed by FOX 35 Orlando. Another woman, known only by her first name, Fabiola, found herself in a similar predicament, detained despite holding a valid work permit.
At the core of the Arroyo Law Firm's defense is a refutation of the idea that the U.S. Constitution excludes immigrants from the provision of equal protection, stating that it refers to "persons" and not exclusively citizens, Phillip Arroyo stated, per ClickOrlando. These sentiments were echoed at the press event with the assertion that immigrants, regardless of their legal status, should not be subject to profiling or unjust treatment.
The return of Jimenez and Fabiola to Florida is being celebrated as a victory by their attorneys and supporters. Yet, the lawyers are wary of a potentially discriminatory pattern against immigrants.
