Immigration advocates sound alarm over Catalina Santiago’s arrest at El Paso airport without clear justification
New York, N.Y. – A young immigration rights activist’s detention has sparked nationwide concern about the vulnerability of DACA recipients under current U.S. immigration policies.
Border Patrol Arrests Protected Dreamer at Airport

Catalina “Xochitl” Santiago was traveling through El Paso International Airport on August 3 when two border patrol agents intercepted her past the security checkpoint.
The 28-year-old DACA beneficiary was questioned about her employment documents before being taken to an immigration detention center.
“They have no legal basis for why they detained her or why they’re holding her or why they’re trying to deport her,” said Desiree Miller, Santiago’s spouse, in an interview with The Guardian.
Santiago had been granted temporary protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which allows qualifying individuals who arrived in the United States as children to live and work legally. She had successfully renewed her DACA status seven times without incident.

Growing Vulnerability of Dreamers Nationwide
Santiago’s case represents a troubling trend affecting the nation’s 525,000 DACA recipients. The Obama-era program has faced increasing challenges, with the current administration attempting to strip Dreamers of their protections despite no regulatory changes.
In July, Department of Homeland Security assistant press secretary Tricia McLaughlin made the false claim that “DACA does not confer any form of legal status in this country” and encouraged recipients to self-deport.
Recent cases underscore this escalation. Javier Diaz Santana, a deaf and mute DACA recipient, was detained during a workplace raid, with officials confiscating his communication tools. Jose Valdovinos faced similar treatment when arrested outside a gas station while riding as a passenger with his wife.
“We hadn’t seen this before,” said José, Santiago’s older brother and fellow DACA recipient. “It was very fast and very aggressive.”

Questionable Detention Circumstances Raise Concerns
Immigration officials cited charges of “trespassing, possession of narcotics and drug paraphernalia” as grounds for Santiago’s arrest. However, Miller emphasized that Santiago had not been convicted of any crimes, and her record had never prevented previous DACA renewals.
Santiago was traveling to Austin for a conference on family and community-run farms when detained. Miller, who works with Santiago at a local community organization, had taken an earlier flight to the same event.
The arrest followed a pattern of increased scrutiny at airports. Santiago had been stopped during previous travels but never detained. This time, she managed to send Miller a shaky video showing border patrol officers demanding she put away her phone and accompany them for questioning.

Detention Conditions and Family Impact
From the detention facility, Santiago has reported difficult conditions including constant lighting that prevents sleep, loud guards, and inadequate food and medical care. José noted hearing exhaustion in his sister’s voice during phone calls but praised her resilient spirit.
The couple, who married in January, had been considering applying for a green card through Miller’s U.S. citizenship. The detention has disrupted these plans and created emotional turmoil for the family.
“It’s really hard for me to sleep and eat and do anything out here comfortably, knowing that she’s not able to sleep in there,” Miller said. “It’s like the constant threat that they could come and take someone you love.”

Nationwide Advocacy Response
Santiago’s detention has prompted solidarity actions across the country. Activists have organized vigils in El Paso, Texas; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Long Island; Boston; Tempe, Arizona; and Seattle to protest her treatment.
The immigration rights community views Santiago’s case as emblematic of broader threats facing DACA recipients nationwide. Her work as a community organizer and immigration activist has made her situation particularly visible to advocacy groups monitoring administration policies.
Legal Hearing Determines Future
Santiago appeared before an immigration judge on Wednesday to determine whether she would be released or remain in detention. The hearing represents a crucial moment for both her individual case and broader DACA policy implications.
Immigration advocates continue emphasizing that Santiago entered the U.S. at age eight with her family and has maintained legal status through DACA. They argue her detention lacks justification and reflects dangerous targeting of protected individuals.
Miller stressed the human cost of current immigration enforcement: “The administration is messaging that they’re deporting criminals and illegal aliens. They use these words to try to take away from the fact that the people being detained are human, that they are family members.”
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#DACARights #ImmigrationJustice #DreamersUnderAttack #ProtectDACA
#ImmigrationDetention #CatalinaSantiago #BorderPatrol #DreamersRights
Tags: DACA, immigration detention, Dreamers, border patrol, immigration rights,
Catalina Santiago, DHS, Obama-era program, immigration enforcement, El Paso
