A Los Angeles street vendor originally from Mexico, who came to the United States at age 5 and has held a green card for several years, is currently in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after dropping off his four children at school.
Newsweek reached out via email to ICE and the Department of Homeland Security for comment.
Why It Matters
The detainment is part of President Donald Trump’s ongoing immigration crackdown, which critics have described as aggressive and, at times, arbitrary—particularly toward immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for years without any violent or serious criminal record.
While ICE and the Department of Homeland Security have faced scrutiny amid rising detentions and deportations, the White House has consistently stated that anyone residing in the country unlawfully is considered a “criminal.”
What To Know
Jorge Cruz of Mexico City, a street vendor, faces deportation for alleged wrongdoing that remains unclear to his spouse and immigration attorney, according to the art-focused publication Hyperallergic.
Cruz’s wife, Carmen, told the publication that she and Jorge were returning home from dropping off their four children when approximately six ICE agents confronted them.
“We were in our truck,” Carmen said. “One of their cars got in front of us, the other car got in back. ‘We have an order of arrest for Jorge Cruz,'” they said.
She described Cruz as “calm” during the arrest. He later called to inform her that he was being held in a Los Angeles detention center and was reportedly moved the next day to a facility in Adelanto, roughly 90 miles northeast of Los Angeles, where he remains as of Thursday.
Carmen suggested that the detainment may relate to a verbal altercation months ago with another vendor, though both men were released and charges were dropped.
Cruz married Carmen, a U.S. citizen, in 2014 and obtained his green card, making him eligible for citizenship after three years. Before that, he had lived in the U.S. under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
Immigration attorney Mackenzie W. Mackins, representing Cruz, told Hyperallergic she has worked with him for years, including efforts to secure his naturalization, which were delayed due to past minor infractions related to unpermitted street vending.
“We’ve been fighting this battle for a long time,” Mackins said. “Our argument is, ‘He’s here. He has children, a wife. What’s the point of dragging this on?'”
Cruz’s situation is complicated by his lawful permanent resident status. Mackins added, “They should let him go back to his previous status, fighting his removal.”
Cruz reportedly began street vending at age 11 and later built a business, Del Mar Fruits and More, which now operates 25 food carts with 10 employees selling frutas, elotes, hot dogs, and aguas frescas throughout Santa Monica.
What People Are Saying
Groups who have worked with Cruz, including during his participation in Frieze LA, issued a joint statement on Instagram:
“Please join in solidarity with this action and support Jorge Cruz, whose work is a fundamental part of the arts ecosystem of Los Angeles. No one is equal under the law if two of us are governed differently. Thank you for your support!”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin previously stated:
“The media is sadly attempting to create a climate of fear and smear law enforcement. These smears are contributing to our ICE law enforcement officers facing 1,000 percent increase in assaults against them. ICE is not conducting enforcement operations at, or ‘raiding,’ schools. ICE is not going to schools to make arrests of children.”
What Happens Next
Cruz is scheduled for a bond hearing on September 12. Industry allies advocating for his release have encouraged community members to submit 200 letters of support to aid in his potential release.
