ICE arrests of grandfathers in California and Washington spark outcry

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have conducted separate arrests of grandfathers in California and Washington, drawing criticism from families regarding the circumstances of the detentions.

In Orange County, California, Serafín Trinidad Ortega was intercepted by federal agents while driving to celebrate his granddaughter's 18th birthday in Garden Grove. His daughter, María, reported that her father, an undocumented immigrant who entered the U.S. in 1992, was involved in a physical struggle with agents. The family expressed distress over the use of force and the impact on his health.

In Airway Heights, Washington, near Spokane, José Luis Arias was detained by ICE agents while accompanying his grandson, who has autism, to his mother's workplace. According to family member Jennyfer Mesa, Arias requested that the arrest not take place in front of the child. The family, originally from Honduras, had previously gained community support following the death of a young daughter from leukemia in 2021.