RICHMOND, Calif. -- Juan Ramirez, 38, and Angelica Garcia, 34, migrated from Mexico to the United States in search of a better way of life 18 years ago. And like many undocumented people, they had been doing their best to live “below the radar” ever since — that is, until Ramirez was abruptly detained and deported earlier this year, pushing his already struggling family into an even deeper financial crisis.
Ramirez was the primary income earner for the household, making a living as a day laborer. He regularly sought pick-up jobs at Home Depot, while his partner, Garcia, supplemented his earnings babysitting the children of other immigrant families. The food stamps her three U.S.-born children – Julio, 16, Francisca, 8, and Umberto, 2 -- were entitled to, also helped.
Ramirez and Garcia did everything they could to provide a stable home for their children in the studio apartment they rented in San Pablo, Calif. They saw their kids off to school every morning and ate dinner together as a family every evening.
Despite their undocumented status, it was an ordinary life - - until a series of unforeseen events turned everything upside down.
It started, according to Garcia, when their landlord one day without warning raised the monthly rent on their apartment from $600 to $1,400 dollars and demanded full payment. When the family was unable to come up with the money, they were evicted. Devastated, they turned to family and close friends
for temporary shelter. Ramirez aggressively sought more pick-up work and even offered to barter his labor in exchange for temporary housing for his family. The extra effort, however, wasn’t enough. The family was eventually forced to move into an emergency homeless shelter.
The five-member family’s home was now reduced to a 10 by 10 square foot dormitory. Ramirez and Garcia vowed to stay in the shelter only until they could save enough money to secure another apartment.
24 Hours That Changed Everything
Leaving the shelter early one morning last April, Ramirez made his way down to the local Home Depot, just like on any other day. The weather was nice, a good omen for day laborers seeking an honest day’s work. Because March had been a particularly rainy month (which resulted in inconsistent work), Ramirez was happy when he received an offer to do some long- distance work. He left the family’s mini-van parked nearby, and hopped into the truck of the worksite foreman who had decided to hire him for the day.
Around noon, Ramirez called Garcia and told her to pick the kids up from school, as he couldn’t because he was still at work.
It would be the last time Ramirez and Garcia would talk that day. Little did they know that Ramirez would work well into the evening hours, and be unable to return to the shelter before its mandatory curfew hour of 9 p.m.
When Ramirez finally did get back to the shelter one hour after curfew, he was unable to gain entry. So he slept in his vehicle until daybreak. Meanwhile, a concerned Garcia endured a sleepless night, frantically calling local hospitals as she sought information about Ramirez’s wellbeing.
Around 5 a.m., Ramirez woke up in his vehicle, ready to get back to work. On his way to the previous day’s jobsite, he stopped at the local 7-Eleven in Richmond for a cup of coffee. As he gazed outside the store windows, he saw a Richmond Police patrol car and an immigration vehicle in the 7-11 parking lot.
According to Garcia (who would later speak to Ramirez by phone), the 7-Eleven cashier -- suspecting Ramirez to be an undocumented immigrant and fearing the officers would possibly nab him -- warned Ramirez to remain in the store until the vehicles left. Ramirez heeded the cashier’s warning and waited until the cars left the lot before he exited the store and climbed into his car. But within seconds, flashing lights from what Ramirez originally thought was a Richmond police car appeared in his rearview mirror. Unfortunately for Ramirez, however, it was an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vehicle.
According to Ramirez, who spoke to Richmond Pulse by phone from Mexico earlier this week, the ICE officers followed him for a while before pulling him over.
"They asked for ID and registration," he recalled. "I told them, ‘I have no ID.’"
They said,"‘Is this your car?" I said, "‘Yes, it’s my car.’"
They said, "‘You have no ID, so how do we know? You're going in.’"
Ramirez also told Richmond Pulse that there was a group of men in the ICE vehicle when he was arrested, implying that ICE had picked up multiple workers early that morning - - despite the fact that Richmond became a “sanctuary city” for immigrants in late 2009. Under the sanctuary policy, city
employees including police officers in Richmond are instructed to not share the immigration status of residents with federal authorities.
“There were others who had been picked up,” said Ramirez. “It wasn’t just me.”
With a heavy heart, Garcia recalled her husband’s last words to her that day, during a phone call he made after being detained.
“’I want you to take care of the kids,’” Garcia said Ramirez told her, sobbing into the phone.
By that time, according to Garcia, “He was being transported to [immigration authorities] in San Francisco.”
Richmond Pulse contacted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to verify details concerning Ramirez' alleged deportation and was told that such information is only made available to the immediate respondents and their attorneys.
The Aftermath
Today, Garcia lives as a single mother struggling to provide financial and emotional support to her three children. Her sole source of public aid is food stamps for her children. She is reluctant to apply for other critical services, such as medical care to treat an undisclosed disability, and counseling services to help her children cope with the absence of their father in their lives. She fears seeking other public aid lest she get deported as well.
Navigating services in a primarily English-speaking community isalso challenging, said Garcia, who is monolingual. With Ramirez now gone, she relies on her son and daughter (who are both bilingual) to be her eyes, ears and voice.
Garcia and her children are hoping to be reunited with Ramirez and being a complete family again, living in a home of their own. But for now, they will have to make do with a 10-by-10 shelter.
The names of the subjects in this story have been changed at their request.
Mom Struggles in Aftermath of Deportation
- Share and Email |
- Print |
Anonymous
Posted Oct 2 2011
Hey ! How about some stories ( only a few will do for me ) about Americans murdered by illegal aliens leaving the family without support ? Or maybe a very short story about how our car insurance are going up because illegal aliens without driving license and hence no insurance. Or maybe how they are crowding the hospitals thereby leaving Americans paying for their bills by means of increased insurance costs ? Or should I continue?
Anonymous
Posted Oct 2 2011
There is no sanctuary cities for border patrol or ICE they are federal. What's this guy doing driving without a license? His wife is here and she still can not speak English and i bet she's driving too. Illegals come here and do what they want, there are laws in this country.
Anonymous
Posted Oct 2 2011
There is no sanctuary cities for border patrol or ICE they are federal. What's this guy doing driving without a license? His wife is here and she still can not speak English and i bet she's driving too. Illegals come here and do what they want, there are laws in this country.
Anonymous
Posted Oct 2 2011
who wrote that crap ?
Anonymous
Posted Oct 2 2011
How were they able to avoid the authorities for so long anyways? Notice they managed to avoid paying taxes but were still able to milk the tax payers for food stamps for their anchor babies.
Time to wake up America. Vote out incumbents who let this happen.
Anonymous
Posted Oct 2 2011
Does anyone have a Kleenex?
The should have a “Sanctuary City” for all the illegal alien drunk drivers that way they could kill each other instead of innocent Americans! This story is bull crud. The illegal aliens knew the consequences of breaking the laws when they came to America illegally. The pro-illegal supporters want us to shed a tear for them? Nothing doing, the wife should get deported too and the kids should be given to CPS. Even if the wife stays in the country the kids should be given to CPS!
Hey, I want a better life too but you don’t see me going and breaking into Donald Trump’s home and taking anything I want and plopping down a tent. If a journalist chooses to be bias then he should get out of the news and media business and go find another profession. Next thing you know they’ll be trying to censor us pulling the race card! We Americans are tired of the illegal aliens playing the tiniest violins in the world and singing “Poor Me” over and over again. It’s time to deport all illegal aliens NOW!
Anonymous
Posted Oct 2 2011
All of you completely disgust me. When the 1% of this country is making a mockery of the rest of the US, creating the economic downfall and finding clever ways to brainwash the public and point fingers at immigrants that came to this country just like how most of your ancestors did and for the same reasons. And if you had any knowledge about anything you would know undocumented people don't qualify for ANY government help. you need a social security for that. They also pay taxes every time they go to the grocery store. No one has the right to criminalize another human being. You are all a bunch of ignorant people that are comfortable in just being sheep, listening and consuming yellow journalism so the government can still hold a tight leash around the people while you keep getting poorer and they keep getting richer. You should take advantage of the poor excuse of public education in this country and question those who are ruling and why it might benefit themselves to have people like you continue to believe lies.
Anonymous
Posted Oct 3 2011
"Sanctuary cities" are a violation of FEDERAL law. Moreover, the city's policy has nothing to do with whether or not ICE can enforce immigration laws.
Are we supposed to feel sorry for this family? This family was created here by illegal aliens, who have been surviving by working illegally and on benefits provided by the taxpayers. And this woman has been here, what, 16 years, and doesn't speak English? (She also apparently made one of her first acts here having a US-citizen kid. All the more reason to drop birthright citizenship.)
Anonymous
Posted Oct 3 2011
"Sanctuary cities" are a violation of FEDERAL law. Moreover, the city's policy has nothing to do with whether or not ICE can enforce immigration laws.
Are we supposed to feel sorry for this family? This family was created here by illegal aliens, who have been surviving by working illegally and on benefits provided by the taxpayers. And this woman has been here, what, 16 years, and doesn't speak English? (She also apparently made one of her first acts here having a US-citizen kid. All the more reason to drop birthright citizenship.)
Anonymous
Posted Oct 3 2011
"Sanctuary cities" are a violation of FEDERAL law. Moreover, the city's policy has nothing to do with whether or not ICE can enforce immigration laws.
Are we supposed to feel sorry for this family? This family was created here by illegal aliens, who have been surviving by working illegally and on benefits provided by the taxpayers. And this woman has been here, what, 16 years, and doesn't speak English? (She also apparently made one of her first acts here having a US-citizen kid. All the more reason to drop birthright citizenship.)
Anonymous
Posted Oct 4 2011
Hey sis I just read the story it was very informative and well written. This is not the only place this is happening, this is going on in many places in the USA. However I have mixed feelings about this and reasoning being is that I understand that people want to make a better way of life for themselfs. However If I'm not mistaken there is a certain way of going about it and getting the proper pappers needed. Not just sneaking over hear having american's tax's payers take care of you, and get food aid and all that. I feel for the family and all but we already are in a fincial frenzy as is. And lets say when the illagle allien hits your car and they don't have licences or insurence then what. I feel sorry for the family and all but there are Laws we have to follow.
Anonymous
Posted Oct 4 2011
Hey sis very good article however this is no surprise this happens all over the USA. I have slightly mixes emotions on this and give me a chance to explain why. I have never ever been a person to not want anothe rto advance or do better for themselfs, and I do consider myself to be a fair person. I have compassion for the family and I don't feel as if the reason we are in a finacial shit hole where in is all do to illagle alleins. But where my issue lies is that there are Laws and there is a certain thing called protacal and when you sneak over hear get a car and have no insurence, lience then you hit my car then can't speak no English I have a problem with that. And then the homeless rate is sky high but then they can come over here and get food Aid something is wrong. The USA is a read there jacked up messed up and leading to destruction. I enjoyed your article and thanks for sharing.
Anonymous
Posted Oct 4 2011
Some of you are cruel and ignorant. This country was founded by people who crossed borders illegally. Yeah, I said it! Get over yourselves. There are plenty of people taking advantage of taxpayers' dollars.
To the author: Thank you for being a journalist and reporting on a topic that you felt needed to be explored. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, so don't let comments from these bigots affect how you choose to share stories with the world. - A in Virginia
Anonymous
Posted Oct 4 2011
Some of you are cruel and ignorant. This country was founded by people who crossed borders illegally. Yeah, I said it! Get over yourselves. There are plenty of people taking advantage of taxpayers' dollars.
To the author: Thank you for being a journalist and reporting on a topic that you felt needed to be explored. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, so don't let comments from these bigots affect how you choose to share stories with the world. - A in Virginia
Anonymous
Posted Oct 4 2011
Some of you are cruel and ignorant. This country was founded by people who crossed borders illegally. Yeah, I said it! Get over yourselves. There are plenty of people taking advantage of taxpayers' dollars.
To the author: Thank you for being a journalist and reporting on a topic that you felt needed to be explored. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, so don't let comments from these bigots affect how you choose to share stories with the world. - A in Virginia
Anonymous
Posted Oct 4 2011
Some of you are cruel and ignorant. This country was founded by people who crossed borders illegally. Yeah, I said it! Get over yourselves. There are plenty of people taking advantage of taxpayers' dollars.
To the author: Thank you for being a journalist and reporting on a topic that you felt needed to be explored. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, so don't let comments from these bigots affect how you choose to share stories with the world. - A in Virginia
Anonymous
Posted Oct 4 2011
Some of you are cruel and ignorant. This country was founded by people who crossed borders illegally. Yeah, I said it! Get over yourselves. There are plenty of people taking advantage of taxpayers' dollars.
To the author: Thank you for being a journalist and reporting on a topic that you felt needed to be explored. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, so don't let comments from these bigots affect how you choose to share stories with the world. - A in Virginia
Anonymous
Posted Oct 4 2011
Some of you are cruel and ignorant. This country was founded by people who crossed borders illegally. Yeah, I said it! Get over yourselves. There are plenty of people taking advantage of taxpayers' dollars.
To the author: Thank you for being a journalist and reporting on a topic that you felt needed to be explored. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, so don't let comments from these bigots affect how you choose to share stories with the world. - A in Virginia
Anonymous
Posted Oct 4 2011
Some of you need to trace your lineage or simply open a history book. Do a google to learn who the first group of illegal immigrants were. Any history buffs on here care to take a guess?....Here's a hint... They were named indentured servants...this group of illegal immigrants brought with them a host of diseases..... such as small pox and ran off the true inhabitants of the land. Get a life and get a clue.
Anonymous
Posted Oct 4 2011
Some of you are cruel and ignorant. This country was founded by people who crossed borders illegally. Yeah, I said it! Get over yourselves. There are plenty of people taking advantage of taxpayers' dollars.
To the author: Thank you for being a journalist and reporting on a topic that you felt needed to be explored. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, so don't let comments from these bigots affect how you choose to share stories with the world. - A in Virginia
Anonymous
Posted Oct 5 2011
BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP IS A JOKE!!
What other Western country gives out citizenship like candy??? France??? NO WAY!!!
check it out....
Why don't they stay in there countries and try to make them better? Protest there...fight for there rights...revolt??? NO ...just come to the US and STEAL the bennefits. MY TAXES are for US citizens (people born here to US citizens) not the whole world!!
A in Virginia YOU are the ignorant one. They need to stay in there own country and try to fix things or get in line and apply to come to this country the right way.
Anonymous
Posted Oct 6 2011
BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP IS A JOKE!!
What other Western country gives out citizenship like candy??? France??? NO WAY!!!
check it out....
Why don't they stay in there countries and try to make them better? Protest there...fight for their rights...revolt??? NO ...just come to the US and STEAL the bennefits. MY TAXES are for US citizens (people born here to US citizens) not the whole world!!
A in Virginia ...YOU are the ignorant one. They need to stay in their own country and try to fix things or get in line and apply to come to this country the right way.
Anonymous
Posted Oct 6 2011
@ BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP IS A JOKE.... IF YOU HAD ANY BALLS YOU WOULD STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS
Anonymous
Posted Oct 8 2011
Just like you did ??
Ha ha ha ...
Anonymous
Posted Oct 8 2011
That’s the best you could come up with? Instead of counterpoint to any of my points you just talk trash with threats of violence. How dare I ask that people ….1.) Stay in their own countries and make them better or 2.) Get in line the legal way if they want to come to the USA.
United States is the largest of only 33 countries in the world!!! that grant automatic birthright citizenship to children of illegal aliens and temporary visitors, while 122 countries!! do not!!
Countries that Grant Automatic Birthright Citizenship
Argentina, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Spain, United States, Canada and Venezuela. (and you can bet if Canada shared their border with Mexico they would be on the list below…LOL)
Countries that do NOT Grant Automatic Birthright Citizenship
Algeria, Australia, Belgium, Columbia, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Kuwait, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and Zaire……….and on and on …..
Anonymous
Posted Oct 8 2011
Disclaimer: Comments do not necessarily reflect the views of New America Media. NAM reserves the right to edit or delete comments. Once published, comments are visible to search engines and will remain in their archives. If you do not want your identity connected to comments on this site, please refrain from commenting or use a handle or alias instead of your real name.
Anonymous
Posted Nov 4 2011
I love the article and it is sad that so many Americans who live here because their ancestors did the same thing have no compassion! So called Christian Nation, yeah right! I had written a long response but my phone forced closed. I will continue on my laptop later! Good work niece and keep writing about things that matter!
Anonymous
Posted Nov 4 2011
I love the article and it is sad that so many Americans who live here because their ancestors did the same thing have no compassion! So called Christian Nation, yeah right! I had written a long response but my phone forced closed. I will continue on my laptop later! Good work niece and keep writing about things that matter!
Anonymous
Posted Nov 4 2011
I love the article and it is sad that so many Americans who live here because their ancestors did the same thing have no compassion! So called Christian Nation, yeah right! I had written a long response but my phone forced closed. I will continue on my laptop later! Good work niece and keep writing about things that matter!
Anonymous
Posted Nov 4 2011
I love the article and it is sad that so many Americans who live here because their ancestors did the same thing have no compassion! So called Christian Nation, yeah right! I had written a long response but my phone forced closed. I will continue on my laptop later! Good work niece and keep writing about things that matter!
Anonymous
Posted Nov 10 2011
..."so many Americans who live here because their ancestors did the same thing have no compassion! "
My ancestors came here at the turn of the Last century....legally!!! Through Ellis Island and they were inspected!!! when the country was in dire need of manual labor...They paid taxes not like this "shadow economy." In 1900 the population of this country was like 70 Milliion!! Now it is over 300Million!! We are getting full. FULL !!! We, as a nation, must regulate how many immigrants enter the country. WE , as a nation, should make this decision.....there are limits to everything....that's what YOU beeding hearts don't understand. We can't just open the door and say ..."anybody who wants to come in come on in!!" Can we take all of the poor all over the world???? The population just hit 7 BILLION!! Again in 1900 it was under 2Billion. The question is DO YOU ARE DO YOU NOT THINK WE SHOULD HAVE LIMITS ON HOW MANY PEOPLE WE TAKE ON???? You have to answer that question honestly......
I don't have any problem with this, except for the fact that lot of people in this shadow economy are on government dole like food stamps, medicaid, welfare programs that sometimes includes cash benefits, extended unemployment benefits etc. As an end result government loses taxes and cost of all these welfare programs keep going up, resulting in huge government deficits. And whoever is honest and working is carrying a larger and larger burden of this bloated and unsustainable system.
Disclaimer: Comments do not necessarily reflect the views of New America Media. NAM reserves the right to edit or delete comments. Once published, comments are visible to search engines and will remain in their archives. If you do not want your identity connected to comments on this site, please refrain from commenting or use a handle or alias instead of your real name.
Related Articles
ICE to Give Leniency to Those Arrested for Minor Traffic Violations
WASHINGTON -- Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced today that if it identifies an undocumented…
After Review, ICE Puts 16K of 300K Deportation Cases on Hold
Immigration officials have suspended 16,544 deportation cases and are moving steadily through a review of…
DHS Releases Two Reports on Secure Communities
WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security's Office of the Inspector-General today released two reports…
Community Groups Fill Void in LGBT Services
SAN PABLO, Calif. -- Lilia Quiñones sits in a plush armchair, listening to the introductions…
Learning to See the Police in a Different Light
All my life I’ve been taught to despise the police, and for that matter, any…
Why Washington Governor’s Proposed Cuts Will Hit Hard
Seattle, Wa - Tuyet Thi Mai, 69, already receives state public assistance, but still cannot afford…
Comments