A DACA Recipient’s Detention Opens New Front In Immigrant Rights Movement

(Milwaukee, August 8, 2025)— Voces de la Frontera and Comité sin Fronteras demand the immediate release of Catalina “Xóchitl” Santiago, a DACA recipient and community organizer, unlawfully detained by Border Patrol in El Paso, Texas.

Immigrant families in Wisconsin strongly condemn the recent detention and abduction of Xóchitl by federal authorities. This unwarranted action not only violates Xóchitl’s rights but also sends a chilling message to thousands of young people who contribute positively to their communities. As a seasoned organizer in the movement for Immigrant rights, Xóchitl represents the strength and hope of her community. Xóchitl has worked for years to end family separations and while all deportations are deplorable, it is particularly egregious that ICE chooses to target a leader in the Immigrant Rights Movement.

“We will not stand by as young people, whose home is here, are ripped away from their lives,” said Christine Neuman Ortiz, Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera. “We call on acting Director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Todd Lyons, to immediately release Xóchitl and to uphold the dignity of everyone protected under DACA.”

Details of the Detention

Catalina “Xóchitl” Santiago, a beloved community member and long-time organizer, was stopped by two Border Patrol agents on Sunday, August 3, 2025, at approximately 4:00 AM in the El Paso airport. Despite presenting her valid DACA work authorization card, which ensures protection from deportation, she was abducted and transferred without warrant or cause to a processing facility in El Paso.

This detention is a blatant violation of federal guidelines protecting DACA recipients. No individual under DACA should be subject to arrest or removal when in compliance with program requirements.

“Targeting Dreamers is a direct attack on our communities,” stated Fernanda Jimenez-Hauch, a DACA recipient and member of Voce’s Comité Sin Fronteras, which organizes for community defense against federal law enforcement’s attempts to expand a campaign of mass surveillance and illegal detentions throughout Wisconsin. “We demand Xóchitl’s release and an end to these abductions. We will not be intimidated, nor will we take a step back. Our home is here, and there will be accountability for these actions,” she added.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.