Dozens of family members, neighbors and immigrant-rights advocates gathered in Pomona on Wednesday night for a candlelight vigil, pressing for the release of Ramiro Santiago Pacheco Ramirez. Organizers say the 53-year-old day laborer was picked up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in November while trying to pick up medicine and has been held ever since at the Adelanto Detention Center. His family says Ramiro relies on a pacemaker and regular medication, and they fear his time in custody is putting his life at risk.
According to ABC7, Ramiro’s daughter, Jax, told those at the vigil, "He was sick." Organizers said Ramiro was taken after what they described as a short break from his workday and urged attendees to sign a community letter demanding that ICE release him.
Family Fundraising and Local Advocacy
The family has launched an online fundraising page that describes prior heart attacks, a pacemaker, and ongoing medical needs. The campaign says Ramiro was detained on Nov. 13 while on his way to get medication and that relatives are now scrambling to cover legal fees and travel to Adelanto. The GoFundMe details the family’s account of his health issues and what they say is the urgency of getting him back under regular medical care.
Telemundo 52 reports that Pomona’s day-labor center is helping the family navigate the situation and that Rep. Norma Torres has pressed federal officials for answers about Ramiro’s condition and his case.
Concerns About Medical Care at Adelanto
Advocates at the vigil pointed to previous scrutiny of conditions at the Adelanto facility as one more reason they say Ramiro should not be in detention while managing serious heart problems. Reporting by KQED summarized a Department of Homeland Security inspector’s review that cited delays in medical care and other violations at Adelanto. A JAMA Network Open study has also documented frequent emergency medical responses at the facility compared with other immigration detention centers in California.
Those findings are fueling calls from local groups and legal advocates for medical release or alternatives to detention in cases where detainees have serious health conditions. Organizers say their community letter and the ongoing vigil are meant to pressure ICE and the private contractor that runs Adelanto to either provide adequate care or release Ramiro while his immigration case plays out.
Telemundo 52 reported that it had asked federal authorities for an update on Ramiro’s situation but had not received a response. The family says lawyers are being brought in to seek his release. Supporters at the vigil say they plan to keep gathering and collecting signatures until they see movement on his case.
