Hollywood grandmother released from immigration detention center
A Hollywood grandmother reunited with her family after being held at an immigration detention facility for four months.
Federal agents detained Emma De Paz, 58, outside a Hollywood Home Depot in June, during one of the first immigration operations in Los Angeles. In total, 30 people were apprehended, including De Paz, who is an undocumented street vendor.
Attorney Karla Navarette secured De Paz's release on bond earlier this week. She said they face a long fight to stop her deportation, claiming her arrest was unlawful and warrantless.
"They were barged by officers," Navarette said. "By people masked, who weren't identifying themselves, pointing guns, dragging people to the side and being questioned. That arrest was based solely on her appearance, on her person, on her type of work in her community."
De Paz said her hands tremble all the time now. In the four months she spent at the Adelanto Detention Center, De Paz said she slept on a bunk bed with no privacy, detestable meals and no access to medicine for high blood pressure and hepatitis B.
"My whole body feels it," she said in Spanish.
De Paz said she fled persecution in Guatemala 25 years ago. She became a community activist upon arriving in the U.S.
"We have rights," De Paz said in Spanish. "Although we are immigrants, we are not criminals."
Her attorney said she supported, defended and advised her fellow detainees to refuse self-deportation.
"She's a leader in her own right," Navarette said. "She didn't need to be there, but I think the fact that she's a leader."
Moments after walking out of the detention center, De Paz told the detainees inside to continue fighting for their release.
"There's hope if you get detained by ICE," Navarette added. "It might not be fast and may feel like forever, but you may be back home with your community. Just have to put up a fight."
