A longtime Salt Lake City activist and father of two is now sitting in a Wyoming jail after federal immigration agents picked him up outside his home, his family says. Julio Cesar Irungaray, a Mexican-born resident who has lived in Utah for about 35 years, was detained Wednesday and taken to a jail in Evanston, Wyoming. By Thursday evening, relatives and neighbors were in Sherwood Park, turning their anger and anxiety into a public rally for his release.
Supporters Rally in Sherwood Park
Roughly 90 people gathered at the park to call for Irungaray’s release and to denounce what organizers described as sweeping local immigration enforcement tactics. Speakers framed the detention as an attack on a working family rather than a faceless case file.
Irungaray’s son addressed the crowd, telling supporters, “We’re sad, but we’re not afraid,” as family members stood beside him. Maria Montes, of the immigrant advocacy group Comunidades Unidas, also spoke in support of the family and urged the community to stay mobilized, according to KSL.
Detention and Next Steps
Irungaray was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents as he arrived home, and his family is now scrambling through the legal system to get him back, The Salt Lake Tribune reported. Relatives told reporters he had been in the process of appealing a prior removal order at the time of his arrest.
They say he works multiple jobs to support his children and has deep roots in Salt Lake City, which supporters argue should matter when decisions are made about whether he can stay.
Activist Background
Irungaray is no stranger to local organizing. He has been active for years in campus and community efforts, including work with the University of Utah’s Mecha chapter, a history that The Daily Utah Chronicle has previously documented.
He also appeared at a large anti-ICE rally in January, where he warned that aggressive immigration enforcement could reach into the lives of local families. That protest drew hundreds and was covered by the Deseret News.
Legal Status
Irungaray is currently being held in a jail in Evanston, Wyoming, and immigration officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment from local reporters, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.
His family says attorneys are preparing motions and appeals of his removal order, while community groups coordinate support and organizers plan more demonstrations as the legal fight continues, KSL reported.
