DREAM Activist Erika Andiola Says Mom and Brother Taken Into Custody by ICE (w/UPDATES)


Andiola's tearful account of the arrest of her mom and brother

Nationally-known Arizona DREAM Activist Erika Andiola has reported that her mother and brother were arrested last night at their home by agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Above is Andiola's tearful recounting of the raid on her dwelling.

See also:
-DREAM Activist Erika Andiola Says Mom Was Racially-Profiled, Mesa PD Denies Claim

So far, ICE has not responded to my request for a comment.

There is an update from a friend of Erika's on her Facebook page, which states that, "a few minutes ago ICE confirmed removal has been stayed and the agency is reexamining the case."

This may refer to Andiola's mother. In a release announcing a telephonic press conference with Andiola in about an hour, the organization United We Dream had this to say:

"Late last night, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raided the home of of Arizona DREAM leader Erika Andiola and detained her mother, Maria Arreola, and her brother, Heriberto Andiola Arreola. Although Heriberto has been released from detention, Erika's mother faces deportation at any moment. Erika and her family are leaders within the immigrants' rights community, and ICE's action has shocked DREAMers and their family members across the country."

Indeed, Andiola is the co-founder of the Arizona DREAM Act Coalition, and the recipient of many awards for her heroic activism. Her story was actually read into the Congressional Record in July by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin.

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63 comments
DNichols
DNichols

Erika This is America's Darkest Hour.

 Since the January 2008 start of the I.C.E. Deportation/Incarceration Programs Millions of People have been Persecuted, including Millions of Citizen Children, and Family Members of un-documented Immigrants.

 Over One Hundred Hispanic Immigrants have Died in I.C.E. Custody.

 Over Thirteen Thousand un-documented Immigrants have been Incarcerated for years with out even charges.

 Over Five Thousand Legal Citizen Children of un-documented Immigrants are now in U.S. Foster Care.

 Over Forty-Two Thousand Hispanic "Human Beings" now lay Dead at the Hash U.S. Mexico Border where I.C.E. has Dumped/Deported Hundreds of Thousands with nothing, not even water into a "Known Drug War" to be killed, or to Die of the Harsh Elements.

"America is great because it is good, when it ceases to be good, it ceases to be great."

Alex De Tocqueville

 January 2008 we ceased good, and it is no co-incidence that January 2008 was also the start of the "Foreclosure Crisis", the "Great Recession", the" Stimulus, and Bail-outs", and our now "Ballooning National Deficit".

 This is our I.C.E.'d Economy!

 I.C.E. "Put the Car in the Ditch"!

 To: Good, and Brotherhood.

truthseekeraz
truthseekeraz topcommenter like.author.displayName 1 Like

$$ for ICE, $$ for the transporting corporations, $$'s for all those involved in raiding Erika's home and taking her mother and brother and $$ for all that follows. What did this "dark of the night" raid at a home of a vulnerable family cost the taxpayers so a few can profit at the expense of a vulnerable family? (going on with thousands of others daily)

This more about the bigger picture of the mass industrial prison complex -- $$$'s for illegal immigrants -- than about solving the immigration problem, once solved the $$$'s will fade away.

Slavery and Prison - Understanding the Connections
http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/gilmoreprisonslavery.html


JohnDotson
JohnDotson

Truth is that her mother is an illegal alien in this country illegally and she will be deported. That's what happens when you make fun of the government and our law enforcement.

JohnDotson
JohnDotson

@truthseekeraz The only way to solve the immigration problem is with stricter enforcement and more deportations.

truthseekeraz
truthseekeraz topcommenter like.author.displayName 1 Like

Erika in the New York Times, CNN and around the world. Whoever called ICE on this targeted family is a disgrace trying to silence Erika's voice in the dark of the night -- what a horrific situation. 

Erica's voice is out there now for all posterity. Solving the illegal immigrant problem with hatred and inhumane and cruel actions has cast the harsh light on Arizona, a cruel, inhumane state that does NOT care about children, women, mothers and family, only when they can be "used" to grab Federal $$"S to line their pockets. Walk up folks, if you think this is not about you and your rights, think again.

truthseekeraz
truthseekeraz topcommenter like.author.displayName 1 Like

... $$$'s to line their pockets for the jails / detention centers / transporting inmates around the country and to "foreign" countries -- dark "hell-holes to be tortured. And this what America has become?

JohnDotson
JohnDotson

@truthseekeraz This is what happens when our laws are enforced so be it.

truthseekeraz
truthseekeraz topcommenter

@JohnDotson   You also have NO regard for wasting taxpayer $$'s going to a handful of profiteers / bullies.

truthseekeraz
truthseekeraz topcommenter like.author.displayName 1 Like

... who will they come for next? in full SWAT gear armed with military weapons? 

JoeArpaioFan
JoeArpaioFan topcommenter

@truthseekeraz Each DREAMer and their families will be targeted next so bring it on and get 'em all. They wanna mock ICE... they're in for a big surprise!

truthseekeraz
truthseekeraz topcommenter like.author.displayName 1 Like

We love Erika's courage and leadership. To the "Haters-of-the-Dreamers" you have created a martyr and her following has grown nationwide in 24 hours! Her following will continue to grow. SHE will represent Arizona's history as a true heroine -- who spoke truth to power -- putting her life at risk, while extreme intolerance, bigotry, abuse of power will be remembered with the likes of recalled and ousted sitting President of the Senate, ru$$ell pearce, lester pearce, disgraced and disbarred former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas and his disbarred and disgraced chief "charging" prosecutor, ex-DCA Lisa Aubuchon and his disgraced, sanctioned, ex-DCA "blogging" queen, ex-DCA Rachel Alexander ("convictions-by-internet), cry-baby ex-Senator Bungaard, MCSO ex-chief Hendershott, while many others are in the pipeline covering for one another's fraud and what should be considered criminal activity in a state that sends non-violent, first offenders to prison for decades! 

Time to write common sense solutions to an immigration problem that is decades old -- like the War on Drugs, like the Wall Street corruption, like the failed and broken criminal justice system fueled by the private prison corporation industry to make the U.S. the #1 Jailer in the world. How shameful is this in the "land of the free"? How about going after the corrupt elected officials instead of a bright young educated woman / illegal immigrant looking for a solution.


truthseekeraz
truthseekeraz topcommenter like.author.displayName 1 Like

Be safe, Erika and your family. America and Arizona should not be destroying vulnerable, hard working families who are already part of our community and Arizona's culture and heritage.

truthseekeraz
truthseekeraz topcommenter like.author.displayName 1 Like

The hatred and bigotry shows in the comments -- that's Arizona's real problem. 

JohnDotson
JohnDotson

@truthseekeraz It is not bad to hate criminals. Should we also accept shoplifters and drug cartels?

truthseekeraz
truthseekeraz topcommenter

@JohnDotson @truthseekeraz Why do we never hear about raids on the DRUG CARTE:LS? Seems like going after women and children is the "easy" route. It is obvious this family has been targeted.

azcumsquelcher
azcumsquelcher topcommenter

cry me a river Erika. Your family was breaking the law. People are assuming that ICE is locked into some conspiracy to silence this dreamer activist when that probably couldn't be farther from the truth. ICE wouldn't do something like this. In recent history, they've come under heavy fire for a liberal use of discretion and failing to enforce immigration law in several cases. In fact, Erika Andiola is such a small fish that I don't even think the MCSO would waste time on her family. It's most likely that the the feds were tipped off to the Andiola's and decided to respond this time. Maybe it was a slow day at ICE's Phoenix office 

BOOFUCKINGHOO
BOOFUCKINGHOO

@JohnQ.Public  Your point is irrelevent.  Any one who is here illegaly needs to be detained and potentially deported whether they are a gangbanger or a homemaker.  If you are not paying into our system but you are sucking from it, someone needs to cut your straw and ship you back to wherever the fuck you should be.  I don't have a problem with people that want a better life and be able to better support their families but they need to do it legally otherwise they ARE the problem for everyone else too, money does not grow on trees dumbasses and neither does those hospital visits or government cheese.

BOOFUCKINGHOO
BOOFUCKINGHOO like.author.displayName 1 Like

@MotherJones Racist?  I'm color blind and don't give a shit where they from.  Calling people racist without knowing them and assuming what ethnicity they are really just means that you actually are the racist.  Its cool if you are pro-chicano or whatever ethnicity you may be, I don't care, but if you hate the next person because of the color of their skin (which you made evident you do) I hope you get 86'ed.  They are i-l-le-g-a-l immigrants stupid.  You dumb asses all expect the benefits the USA provides but don't want to respect the laws of the land (and that goes for any bitch ass criminal (if you are not here legally you are committing a crime) who comes here from any place in the world).  Eat shit and die. 

JoeArpaioFan
JoeArpaioFan topcommenter

Effective now if you are an illegal alien you better be scared, be very scared because more arrests are coming.

JoeArpaioFan
JoeArpaioFan topcommenter like.author.displayName 1 Like

Good for ICE! Truth is bitch you asked for it. Let's see how unafraid you are now. Those who are undocumented better be afraid, be very afraid!

comrade
comrade like.author.displayName 1 Like

Is ignorant people like badcaseaa that should be sent back to whereever country his ancestor came from. You might be the bastard son of Gin Brewsky And the corrupt Shurf of MCSO, BTW You don't belong in this country and you are a criminal illegal since your ancestor must be some of those who INVADED this continent, making them illegals as soon as they touched ground; bringing their filth and evil ways, no to mention illnesses unknown to the Natives therefore contaminating their pure blood and gene pool when your ancestors begun raping women. This continent belongs to the NATIVE AMERICANS. Educate yourself before you open your filthy piehole.

And if you happen to cross path with this lady, you should thank her and tell her: "Thank you for contributing for the greatness of this country 'cause thanks to that I get my unemployment check every week so I can get my meth and FLY after beign searched 7 times by my image in the mirror", moron. 

badcaseaa
badcaseaa

If you dont like the rules for living here gtfo you can try to make it about whatever you want the simple fact of the matter is the home was harboring illegals period, sorry though crap and I dont want to hear the crying about being targeted because of political BS, i get "randomly selected" for searches 7 times per airport when i fly because of my site which actually focuses on real issues instead of the left right fluff lemons always writes about to keep everyone arguing and  draw focus away from real relevant issues. Here is the difference I belong in this country and I am not a criminal so cry me a river for the people that have no respect for our citizenship process.

MotherJones
MotherJones topcommenter like.author.displayName 1 Like

@badcaseaa "I belong in this country and I am not a criminal" Wrong. You dont belong here bigot boy. And you are a criminal: You should be arrested for impersonating a human being.



badcaseaa
badcaseaa

Are any of them in the country illegally if yes deport them end of discussion period, my great grandfather immigrated legally they can too they don't get special rights over other nationalities sorry lemons i know your landscaping and house keeping bills go up without the illegals but that's the way the cookie crumbles. How much you getting paid to post your propaganda horse crap nowadays i could use some extra cash maybe i need to come join you on the dark side/ (sarcasm intended but not about you being paid off) oh and it doesn't matter how much food you stuff into that gullet of yours it wont make the guilt you feel from misleading the people of AZ on a daily basis go away try being a man and reporting things from a unbiased point of view, I know you have no clue what that means so go ahead and type.  define: unbiased into google

MotherJones
MotherJones topcommenter like.author.displayName 1 Like

@badcaseaa Fuck you, bigot boy. Keep the good folks like the Andiolas, and send all the racist filth like you packin' to -- get this to MEXICO!!!!

badcaseaa
badcaseaa

@MotherJones @badcaseaa you must be mentally retarded I did not say anything racist I simply said people need to follow the law to become citizens like my great grandfather did you should gt some reading comprehension skills.

JoeArpaioFan
JoeArpaioFan topcommenter like.author.displayName 1 Like

@MotherJones We're not racist, we just don't like illegals and DREAMER's who advocates breaking our laws. Is there also a Dreamer group that advocates legalizing shoplifting if you are hungry? You better wake up and realize that we have laws against illegal immigration. Nobody is exempt.

JohnQ.Public
JohnQ.Public topcommenter like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

ICE's stated enforcement priority policies in the Director's Memo dated March 2, 2011:

1. Aliens who pose a danger to national security or risk to public safety;, which includes:

a. Aliens engaged in susptected terrorism or espionage

b. Aliens conveicted of crimes with emphasis on violent criminals and repeat offenders;

c. Aliens not younger then 16 who participate in organized gangs;

d. Aliens subject to outstanding criminal warrants; and

e. Aliens who otehrwise pose a serious risk to public safety.

2. Recent illegal entrants.

3. Aliens who are fugitives or otherwise obstruct immigration controls, which includes:

a. Fugitive aliens;

b. Aliens who reneter the country illegally after removal in this descending priority;

(i) Previously removed aliens who pose a danger to national security;

(ii) Previously removed aliens convicted of violent crimes or who pose a threat to the community;

(iii) previously removed aliens whi criminal convictions other than a violent crime; and

(iv) previously removed aliens who have not been convicted of a crime

c. Aliens who obtain admission status by fraud;

JoeArpaioFan
JoeArpaioFan topcommenter

@JohnQ.Public All illegal aliens pose a risk to national security and public safety. Simply being here illegally is a crime and must be a high priority matter.

JohnQ.Public
JohnQ.Public topcommenter like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

These individuals appear to be well, well down on ICE's stated list of enforcement priorities, which make it appear to look clearly like this was retribution against the family by ICE for the daughter's political activities. How exactly is ICE going to explain that it conducted a raid on a house to pick up a single non-criminal alien who is not a recent border crosser in contravention of its stated enforcement priority policies when there are higher enforcement priority aliens that it has not gone after in a similar fashion? It is going to be interesting to see ICE officials dance on the head of a pin when they are called before a congressional committee to try to explain this.

badcaseaa
badcaseaa

@JohnQ.Public they dont need to explain why they did there job  illegal aliens = ICE's jurisdiction thats all stop posting as john q public you make the real American's sick

badcaseaa
badcaseaa

@MotherJones @badcaseaa @JohnQ.Public MotherJones you are truly a idiot I think Ill have my wife share your comments with the birth activism and woman's rights groups that you are both in so they can all see your level of intelligence.

truthseekeraz
truthseekeraz topcommenter like.author.displayName 1 Like

<What puzzles me is why, when ICE and its parent agency, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, constantly are telling the public that they are focusing their immigration resources on "high priority" criminals, would they raid the house of a frequent critic, and take away her mom and brother?>

Exactly! This is outrageous. 

JoeArpaioFan
JoeArpaioFan topcommenter

@truthseekeraz People cannot mock ICE and get away with it. If the critic is illegal so is the whole family.

JoeArpaioFan
JoeArpaioFan topcommenter

@truthseekeraz people cannot mock ICE and get away with it. If the critic is illegal so is the whole family.

JoeArpaioFan
JoeArpaioFan topcommenter

@truthseekeraz Oh please....... If the critic is illegal so is the whole family!  More arrests are on the way. You cannot mock ICE and get away with it.

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