Overview

• Santiago, 28, was taken by Border Patrol at El Paso airport on 3 August while heading to a work conference, after presenting a valid DACA work permit that is current through April 29, 2026.
• She remains in ICE custody at an El Paso facility and is set to appear before an immigration judge on Wednesday, with the hearing expected to determine whether she is released or kept detained.
• DHS cites past trespassing and drug-related charges to justify the arrest, while her attorney says there are no pending criminal charges and her family notes seven successful DACA renewals without convictions.
• Immigration officials also told her legal team they seek to deport her for illegal entry, a position her family argues conflicts with her long-standing DACA protections.
• Advocates have organized vigils in cities including El Paso, Philadelphia, Grand Rapids, Long Island, Boston, Tempe and Seattle, highlighting reported poor conditions at the facility and broader risks facing DACA recipients under stepped-up enforcement and messaging.