Jailed DACA recipient Daniel Ramirez to be released Wednesday

TACOMA, Wash. – Mexican immigrant Daniel Ramirez Medina is set to be released on bond from the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma on Wednesday -- 1 1/2 months after ICE agents first arrested him.

The agents say Ramirez, a 24-year-old father of one, has gang ties, but he has denied those claims.

“Today the judge affirmed that Daniel does not pose any risk to public safety,” said Luis Cortes, managing attorney at Barrera Legal Group, and a member of Ramirez’s legal team. “We are thrilled he will soon be home with his family.”



All eyes will focus on that release because he’s also a DACA recipient. It’s a program set up by the Obama administration for people who were brought to this country illegally as children. They can apply for a DACA permit to work, study, and live in the U.S. without fear of deportation.

Ramirez is a DACA recipient, which means he went through an extensive background check twice in the last three to four years.

“We continue to be really concerned that the government is unfairly targeting immigrants in our community for harsh immigration enforcement,” Casa Latina Executive Director Marcos Martinez said during an interview with Q13 News on Tuesday.

Martinez represents an organization that helps immigrants with education, employment, and community organizing. He says his relief about Ramirez’s release is quickly dimmed with thoughts of other immigrants and DACA recipients. Martinez along with people around the country have been keeping a close eye on the Ramirez case since word spread he was arrested and detained.



It happened at a Des Moines apartment on February 10.  His lawyers argue his rights were violated. ICE agents say Ramirez has gang ties and has a gang tattoo to match. Ramirez denied those claims in written statements, saying he’s no gang member.

“Daniel has been in detention for almost two months,” said Theodore J. Boutrous Jr., a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, and a member of Ramirez’s legal team. “We are relieved that he will be released and look forward to arguing the merits of this case in federal court.”

A U.S. District Court judge in Seattle recently denied his release from the detention center, saying his case needs to go before an immigration judge.

Immigration Judge John Odell on Tuesday granted Ramirez’s release on a $15,000 bond. His lawyers say he will be released from the detention center Wednesday.

“It’s certainly not the end of the case and I think many in the community will certainly press really hard that he will be able to have all of the charges against him dropped and that he’ll be able to continue living and working in the community and that DACA recipients may not have that worry that they may be targeted for immigration enforcement,” said Martinez.