Portland 'Dreamer' released from custody following public outcry
Francisco J. Rodriguez Dominguez
PORTLAND, Ore. — A Portland DACA recipient has been released from ICE custody on bond 24 hours after being arrested.
Immigration agents picked up Francisco J. Rodriguez Dominguez Sunday at his home in Portland, sparking a public outcry.
Advocacy groups Causa Oregon, the Latino Network, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon credited the massive public response to his story for the quick turn of events.
“We are thankful to everyone who called to ask ICE to release Francisco,” said Mat dos Santos, legal director at the ACLU of Oregon. “The phone lines were jammed up all day yesterday and today. Yet again, people have shown that they reject the cruel policies of the Trump administration.”
The leader of an immigrant rights group said the agency detained Rodriguez Dominguez because he has a misdemeanor for DUI.
Rodriguez Dominguez arrived in the U.S. from Mexico when he was 5 years old, the Oregon chapter of the ACLU said in a statement. He has lived in the Portland area since then.
Rodriguez Dominguez helps run a food pantry at the Latino Network, a community organization, and coaches a soccer team at an elementary school, the ACLU said.
The advocates stressed that despite today’s victory, immigrant communities are still under increased ICE enforcement. They said families should call the Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition hotline at (888) 622-1510 or the ACLU immigration hotline at (971) 412-2258 if they encounter ICE agents.
“If ICE shows up at your door without a warrant signed by a judge, you don’t have to open it to answer questions. If ICE claims to have a warrant, you should ask agents to slip it under the door or hold it up to a window,” said dos Santos.