EXCLUSIVE: Indio family recounts moment ICE agents detained father outside autism clinic
Shay Lawson
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (KESQ) – An Indio mother said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents surrounded her family’s car outside her 9-month-old son’s autism therapy session at Accel Therapies in Indian Wells, and detained her husband.
Maria Alcaraz said her family had just arrived at her sons therapy session when several unmarked trucks boxed them in.
Alcaraz spoke with News Channel 3’s sister station Telemundo 15 and below are her responses translated to English.
“When we were going to turn around to enter the clinic, a truck got behind us,” Alcaraz said. “They never identified themselves at all.”
Alcaraz said her family came to the U.S. legally on visitor visas and later started a taco and hot dog stand during the pandemic. She said their growing social media presence also brought threats.
“We started to receive a lot of negative comments on social networks. How they were going to report us to ICE,” Alcaraz said.
She said her family has no criminal record.
“We have no deportation orders,” Alcaraz said. “My husband never resisted.”
Alcaraz said agents later returned to their business attempting to detain her as well.
She said her husband remains in ICE custody at this time as the family awaits answers.
News Channel 3 has reached out to ICE officials and are waiting for details of the operation.