Arizona mother of 2 detained, deported by ICE amid protests

Protests erupted Thursday in Arizona after Guadalupe García de Rayos, a 35-year-old wife and mother of two U.S.-born children, was deported to Mexico after a routine meeting Wednesday with immigration officials. Rayos entered the U.S. illegally with her parents at age 14 and has been required to check in biannually with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Phoenix after she was caught in 2008 using a fake Social Security number to obtain employment.
Despite Rayos' compliance with the regular meetings without incident, immigration agents arrested and deported her Wednesday, citing a policy finalized in 2013 under the Obama administration that prioritized the deportation of individuals who posed a threat or who had been charged with a felony or a series of misdemeanor crimes.
In 2013, Rayos was permitted to stay in the U.S. even after a judge issued a deportation order because she was deemed not to be a threat; her arrest happened less than a month after President Trump expanded the definition of "criminal alien" in an executive order.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
At least seven protesters were arrested trying to prevent Rayos from being deported. Catch a glimpse of the protests and hear statements from Rayos' daughter and husband below. Becca Stanek
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Trump urges jail for Illinois, Chicago leaders
Speed Read The Texas National Guard begin operations in the Chicago area
-
Bondi stonewalls on Epstein, Comey in Senate face-off
Speed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi denied charges of using the Justice Department in service of Trump’s personal vendettas
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal