UPDATE (7:20 a.m., May 19):
Rep. Grijalva's office issued the following statement on Monday evening:
“I just got done visiting with Karla Toledo at an ICE facility in Tucson. Karla is a DACA recipient with legal status in this country who is a beloved member of our community that serves on local boards and volunteers her time helping others.
“I’m calling on ICE to immediately release Karla, who was reportedly taken by federal agents from her home earlier today after they entered without a warrant. ICE’s blatant disregard for the rule of law and due process is outrageous and completely out of line. We live in a country where everyone has constitutional rights, no matter how hard ICE tries to trample on them. Karla must be released immediately, and ICE must stop terrorizing our communities.”
Mayor Regina Romero also issued a statement:
"I stand with Karla and her family and join the demand for her immediate release. Karla is a DACA recipient who is a dedicated member of our community and has been living in the United States for the majority of her life.
"Today she was detained by ICE, even though she has legal status to be in this country.
"The Trump Administration continues its cruel and inhumane policies through their pattern of not focusing their immigration enforcement on violent criminals, instead focusing on people and working families who are following the legal process. Now, they are attacking DACA recipients.
"I will continue working with our Congressional Delegation to demand we hold this administration accountable and that Karla is released."
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Around 40 people stood outside the ICE field office on Tucson's south side following the detention of Flowing Wells resident Karla Toledo, who her mother says was a DACA recipient allegedly taken from her home Monday morning.
Rep. Adelita Grijalva confirmed Toledo was inside the facility waiting to be transferred to Florence.
Doorbell camera video obtained shows ICE agents appearing outside Toledo's home Monday morning in what appears to be a confrontation between agents and Toledo. The video is only a portion of Monday morning. In it, ICE agents pull up to the home and get out when a man sees them and hurries what appears to be inside.
Toledo's family says agents forced themselves inside the home. We have not yet been able to confirm why Toledo was detained.
Grijalva met with Toledo while she was in custody.
"I asked her if she was OK, and she said she was OK...I think that she's really strong and trying to figure out from here on where she goes," Grijalva said. "This space is only a holding space for 6 to 12 hours, so she will be going somewhere else."
Toledo's mother, Veronica Ortiz, said she wants her daughter released.
"I'm really worried about her. I don't want her to go to Florida. Or sent to Mexico," Ortiz said. "I'm very thankful for all the people that is here to support us."
We reached out to the Department of Homeland Security regarding this incident and will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.
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Denelle Veselik is an Executive Reporter for KGUN 9 and leads our reporter team. Share your story ideas and important issues with Denelle by emailing denelle.veselik@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram and X/Twitter.
