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NEW BEDFORD — Juan Ramón Alegría Rodas, 43, prepared a dinner he would never eat: ribs, wings, a radish salad. By 7 p.m. on Monday, his wife, Patricia, and their 15-year-old daughter, Melissa, sat at the table, the third plate untouched. His absence hung over the meal, leaving a family caught between hunger and dread, unsure whether to lift their forks or simply sit in silence.
Rodas was arrested on Monday in the North End of New Bedford while on his way to pick up his daughter from school. On Tuesday, he called Patricia from the Plymouth County Correctional Facility, telling her that agents are mistakenly identifying him as José Chaclan Cienfuentes, a friend and former roommate whom Patricia said Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported in 2009. As a result, Rodas told Patricia, federal authorities are accusing Rodas of illegal re-entry after removal — a felony offense. But Patricia said Rodas has never left the U.S. after coming in the 1990s.
“I don’t know why this is happening,” Patricia said in Spanish. “They look nothing alike. The most I could think of was that he may have been stopped for a car problem by police while driving José’s car years ago.”
She added that Rodas is diabetic and has been unable to get his diabetes medication while in detention.
“He’s not doing well at the moment,” she said.
Court records reviewed by The Light show no criminal history for Rodas, but they do include an abuse prevention order filed by his wife in 2007 (inactivated in 2008) and a summary process for nonpayment of rent filed in 2012, which was resolved that same year.
A phone call: ‘Immigration came for me’
At the time of his arrest, Rodas called Patricia from outside her North End home while she was at work. He was in the car, on his way to New Bedford High School.
“He called me at 2:10 p.m.,” Patricia, a green card holder, said in Spanish. “He told me, ‘You need to go pick up our daughter from school. Immigration came for me.’”
On the line, she could hear Rodas, an undocumented immigrant living in the U.S. for almost three decades, open his window to speak with the agents and explain that he was asking his wife to give their daughter a ride home. Then one of them took his phone.
“Ma’am, listen to me,” she recalls the agent saying. “I’m with immigration and we’re arresting him. You need to pick your daughter up from school.”
Patricia (who asked that her and her daughter’s middle names be used for anonymity) thought of the “Know your rights” card she kept tucked away from the Centro Comunitario de Trabajadores, a local advocacy organization that Patricia frequently turns to for help with immigration and other matters.
“Do you have a warrant to arrest him?” she asked.
“You need to go pick your daughter up from school,” the agent said. Then the line went dead.
Rodas is the 18th person confirmed detained by The Light in immigration operations in the city since the inauguration of President Donald Trump on Jan. 20.
Their daughter, Melissa, a freshman at New Bedford High and a natural-born U.S. citizen, was unaware of what had unfolded outside their home just minutes earlier. She went to the usual spot where she had met her father all year for a ride home. But that afternoon, he wasn’t there. She looked around, but didn’t see his car.
“Where are you?” she texted.
He never responded.
A few minutes later, after Patricia canceled an appointment to pick her up, she learned what had happened.
“I was really scared,” Melissa said through tears, recalling the moment in a conversation with The Light. “I don’t want to lose my dad.”
Shortly after, Patricia explained to her youngest son, a 14-year old student at Alma del Mar Charter School and natural-born U.S. citizen, what had happened.
“He was in shock,” she said. “He didn’t react and that scared me. I’m worried it will aggravate his depression.”
ICE did not respond to a request for comment.
ICE campaign in New Bedford
Rodas’ arrest came on the heels of multiple high-profile operations locally, in which federal agents have used what activists have described as legally dubious scare tactics.
In March, federal agents used a battering ram to enter a home on Viall Street and pointed guns at teenagers as they were getting ready for school. Their caretakers, Miguel Ordoñez Socop and José Antonio Garcia Garcia, were detained in the raid.
An April 14 arrest on Tallman Street, first reported by The Light, made international headlines: agents broke a car window to detain Juan Francisco Méndez near his home. Agents allegedly were looking for someone who no longer lived at the address and took Méndez in despite his application for adjustment of status.
On April 23, federal agents wearing bulletproof vests arrested two undocumented Guatemalan men, Jose DeLeon Ventura and Andres Colaj Olmos, on Coggeshall Street as they were on their way to work.
“They are acting with total impunity,” said Ondine Galvez Sniffin, Méndez’s attorney, referring to the federal agents in remarks shortly after the operation — one of whom, she noted, was wearing a vest labeled “FBI.”
The operations have spurred multiple protests, including one outside City Hall attended by about 200 people on March 29 and a May Day march down Acushnet Avenue attended by about 300 on May 4.
‘No family is perfect’
Patricia said she filed a criminal complaint against Rodas related to a domestic violence incident in Framingham District Court in 2007, but the case was terminated when both parties failed to appear in court in 2008.
A search of court dockets at Framingham District Court turned up only a short summary of the case. A search at the district court and the Supreme Judicial Court archives (where old district court cases are archived) turned up no physical case files.
The couple separated in 2012, shortly before Patricia gained sole custody of their two youngest children, and have lived apart since then.
In addition to Melissa and her brother, the couple have a 27-year old who lives with her own family in New Bedford.
“No family is perfect,” Patricia said. “Since that incident, he’s changed a lot.”
Patricia said Rodas rents a room near his work but continues to contribute financially and stays involved in the children’s lives — cooking for them, taking them to appointments and events, and spending time with them in the evenings. Nonetheless, he still lists the family home as his address for legal and business purposes.
Melissa said her father, who works as a cook in a local restaurant, often took time to show her the way around the kitchen.
“He’s really an amazing person and a really great dad,” she continued. “When he comes here after work sometimes he’ll just turn on the TV and we’ll watch a drama together.”
Melissa said she began to hear about immigration raids online and through TikTok in January but not much when it came to local operations.
“I don’t pay attention to politics, but I guess when Trump won, people started getting nervous,” she said. “I heard online that apparently [federal agents] are starting to arrest anybody who looks Hispanic.”
“I was worried for my parents because they’re Hispanic,” she said.
Melissa said in February she noticed a drop in the number of kids attending school. She added that later in the month, around the time of the Viall Street raid, there was a period of about three days where many of her classmates did not attend.
“There was a day when half my classmates didn’t go [to school],” she recalled. “I was really confused and weirded out and got really nervous.”
“I was just praying for it not to happen,” she continued. “I didn’t expect it to happen today.”
‘I’m a resident and I’m scared’
Patricia said she recalled a time several years ago when there was fear around immigration raids, but what is happening now is much worse, she said.
“We heard about it before,” she said. “But it was nothing like now. Now it’s a nightmare.”
She recalled her childhood in San Carlos, in Guatemala’s Retalhuleu Department. She was raised by a single mother, along with her two sisters, and grew up in fear after soldiers murdered her father during that nation’s decades long civil war. She was 2 years old.
“This feels like that,” she said. “One lives with constant fear. I’m a [legal permanent] resident and I’m scared.”
Now, though, the challenges revolve around life at home. Patricia said Rodas has been a pillar of support for the family and his presence enabled her to maintain her current job.
“My eldest can help, but she’s got two children of her own,” she said through tears. “We’re here alone. We have nobody.”
She said she’s been working at a garment manufacturer for nine years, but Rodas’ detention may force her to change that.
“I may have to find a new job so I can take care of my children,” she said. “I don’t want to leave them home alone.”
“You don’t have to do that, Mom,” Melissa interjected, switching to Spanish. “I can look after things while you work.”
Patricia responded with a forced smile.
The pair said they hope the world understands that Rodas has followed laws in the U.S. and contributed greatly to their family, and that he may be undocumented, but that he is essential to their lives.
“I don’t know why anyone would say he deserves that, because you don’t really know him,” she said. “My dad did not deserve that.”
“My hope is that he comes back.” She reached down, gently petting Jumpito, the gray cat her father gifted her. “I don’t know how the law works. I just want my dad back.”
Email Kevin Andrade at kandrade@newbedfordlight.org
Email Eleonora Bianchi at ebianchi@newbedfordlight.org
This administration continues to promote the lie that it is detaining and arresting “violent criminals, rapists, drug dealers, human smugglers, etc, etc.” when what we are seeing in our city and elsewhere does not fit that description. In many cases, the wrong person has been detained without warrant or due process. Due process is the very foundation of the Rule of Law in our country. Without it, democracy can not exist, because one person has become all-powerful. This happens in dictatorships, where people can be made to disappear at the whim of the ruler. Our Constitution gives power to our Congress to be a check on presidential abuse of power. Our elected congressional leadership, either through self-interest or fear has been missing in action. After the January 6 convicted felons were pardoned, it sent a signal that they could do whatever their leader desired and not fear arrest or imprisonment. Many legislators, judges and others who opposed the actions of our president have been threatened, as have their families. One judge’s son was shot and killed while answering the door at their home. Representative Lisa Murkowski of Alaska admitted publicly that she was afraid to speak out against this administration because retribution was real. The courts are the third branch of our government that has power to check presidential abuse of power. Many of the executive orders signed by this president have been overturned in court but that is a much slower process. This administration has arrested a judge who objected to having her judicial proceedings interrupted, so that the person in her court could be dragged off without a judicial warrant. Thanks to independent and community news outlets, people who use these news sources are getting facts about what is really happening. We need to also look into who stands to benefit by all this. The shareholders of these for-profit, unregulated, private prisons, that’s who. Some of the same for-profit war contractors in Iraq have applied for contracts to maintain the detention centers in El Salvador, and probably those in the US.
If this administration can persuade us to accept the imprisonment of those it now calls “violent criminals, rapists, drug dealers, human smugglers, etc, etc.”, then it will be that much easier to make political opponents disappear later on. Even the big mouth MAGA radio personalities won’t be immune. By that time, there won’t be any of us left to stand up for them. So, we all have to stand up for the rights of all residents guaranteed by our Constitution. It may not have been perfect to begin with; that is why we have amendments. We have to fight to keep our Constitution and our rights.
Self-correction: The judge objected to having her hearing be interrupted by ICE, who also did not have a judicial warrant. The undocumented person was allowed to use a different door that exited into the same corridor where ICE was waiting. The target person then made a run for the exit but was detained.
I’m really tired of hearing and reading about the illegal immigrants being found, detained, them deported, then hearing about what great people they were when the fact is that they are illegal immigrants who crossed our borders into America, that makes them criminals, not great people.
I don’t care if he worked 90 hours per week while being the greatest worker, husband, father, and the best friend you could ever meet, and how wrong it is for ICE , DHS, FBI, and other state and federal authorities detaining, and deporting him, and how unfair that is. The fact is that he or she deserves to be found, detained, and deported due to US Immigration laws that are ignored by illegal immigrants while following the laws they like.
20 illegal immigrants caught in New Bedford is a drop in the bucket, by 2028, millions of illegal immigrants will be found and deported including at least 3,000 from New Bedford just as they should. you can’t break the laws you don’t like and feel like you’ve been treated unfairly. There are millions of people from every corner of the earth who legally want to come to America for a better life, but there’s a process that must, and will be followed, and in this case, not only the illegal immigrant male should be detained, then deported, his wife and children should also be deported, federal and state tax payers should never be forced to pay for the education of illegal immigrants, that’s a problem that has to be addressed, just like all the other benefits like welfare, healthcare, SNAP, and a system has to be created, and enforced to stop any and all illegal immigrants from obtaining any kind of work, without employment opportunities removed in any town, city, county, and state, there would be NO reason for every third world resident to make the journey. End the employment opportunities and the illegal immigrants problem is solved.
His wife and children should be deported??? They are citizens. You are calling for American citizens to be deported? Disgusting.
The US Supreme Court disagrees with you. It agrees with the Constitution, which applies to “persons” who live in this country. All residents are entitled to due process and a court hearing. Then, if they are found guilty of a crime, they can be deported. We are all innocent until proven guilty. Weather has no national boundary. If we experienced a climate crisis in our country, we could all become migrants to Canada or Mexico. We would then want to be treated as human beings. We would want a chance to plead our case for asylum or protected status. This person was working and paying taxes, contributing to a Social Security System from which he would never get benefits. We need to think about all of these things before we condemn others.
The administration didn’t lie, you just have selective hearing. What Tom Homan, and President Trump said was that they were going after the MS-13, TDA, other gang members, and violent criminals first, nobody said if you came to America illegally, but you go to work every day and don’t break the law, we’ll allow you to remain in America for as long as you want. Also, where did you get your data that shows all illegal immigrants have a legitimate job and pay federal, state, social security, and Medicare taxes? The illegal alien this story was written about has been living in the US for decades, why didn’t he take the step required to get a Green card, then become an American citizen? He went through the process of getting a driver’s license when the geniuses on Beacon hill decided that being in a country illegally shouldn’t prohibit an illegal alien from being able to drive. The governor vetoed the bill, but there were enough of those liberal Democrat fools to override the veto. They can’t read, write, or speak English, but that shouldn’t prohibit them from driving right? They better hope they don’t get into an accident with me.
All illegal aliens are criminals, when they illegally crossed the border they committed a crime which makes them criminals. Any person who enters the country is an illegal alien, not a resident of that country they came to illegally, and once the birthright citizenship is changed, the children of the illegal aliens will also be criminals, and not permitted to go to public schools to receive an education at the expense of the tax payers. I can’t wait until America gets rid of every illegal immigrant, specially in the sanctuary cities and states they knowingly choose to live in due to the liberal socialist Governors who bend over backwards to accommodate them, and prevent law enforcement from arresting them, or hold them until ICE takes them into custody to process them for deportation.
Yeah well the thing is many are here with legal status. Some came seeking asylum. They were in fear for their lives. Not criminals or gang members. No criminal history, with families and sometimes entire towns that vouch for them as not having any criminal history. In some cases they crossed without approval. Ok illegal. They then presented to customs or border agents and stated their request for asylum. Processed and released with orders to make scheduled check in appointments at regular intervals as directed by immigration officers. Did as directed and BAM picked up by ICE and sent to CECOT. Our government at the LEAST should be very diligent in making sure no innocent people are sent to that hell hole. Ok guilty cuz you came over the line. But if that’s all they did and they wind at that place . Sent by our government . That’s f’d up . You’d come over too to feed your family or were facing the same dangers.
Pretty true “A Taxpayer” but also heartless. There are courts and due process to resolve a case like this, then deportation would seem just. Hope we never cross paths.
Stacy, you can call me heartless, I’m fine with that, I have a reason to want every illegal alien found, detained, and deported.
There’s a process in America for people who want to enter the United States legally, but the illegal immigrants ignore that process and cross our borders illegally, once they cross that border, they’ve committed a crime, and they should be punished for it.
There are news stories reported daily across of crimes committed in America by illegal immigrants, violent crimes committed against defenseless victims like females over and under the age of 18, elderly people who are robbed, and beaten, there are countless numbers of illegal immigrants smuggling Fentanyl, Heroin, Cocaine, and more resulting in record numbers of people dying from drug overdose, and over 250,000 children missing with federal authorities stating most have likely need sold into slavery.
If I was truly heartless, I wouldn’t care about anything mentioned above.
What did he do to improve his citizenship status in the intervening years? He had 30 to get himself right.
While reading this this latest article, different and confusing emotions were awakened in my limited mindset. How is this possible? How can a family be torn apart this way? How is this possible that one can enter a country illegally? How is it possible that one can illegally live in a country and not fear repercussions of one day being found and deported?
Upon entering the country you seek refuge, it offers amnesty in legal course. We are here with open arms, we ask that you abide by our laws and respect our legal processes.
By design, as we allow illegal entry we can use and manipulate the publics perception of which governmental views and practices are aligned with theirs. We will use humans as fodder to influence societies into voting one way or another. Regardless if it is right or wrong, right or left. It is an effective influential tool whereby societies are controlled leaving them to think they are in control. It is brilliant!
Trust your government, the Indians did.
It is amazing that people fail to realize that this country was founded with illegal immigrants. Who were the Pilgrims, the Puritans and the rest, if not illegals who created our country. They came to escape persecution in their own countries, to find a better life for themselves and their families. These illegals created a great experiment which we call democracy. They wanted to safeguard the inequalities and the lack of freedom to be, that their country did not afford. Now we have someone who calls all migrants, criminals. Was his own mother a criminal when she immigrated from Scotland? Elon Musk
arrived in this country illegally. Should he be sent back to South Africa? And our own secretary of state is the son of Cuban refugees. Should he be denied citizenship? Why is it that this country can welcome immigrants from other countries if they pay $5million dollars but it cannot be a place of refuge for those who risked their lives to find a safe place to live for themselves and their families. Who are the real criminals?
What about those who fail to uphold the Constitution, they swore to uphold? Should they be hauled off to jail? Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone. A criminal sits in the White House and he has the gall to call all who have come to this country, criminals. He needs to look in the mirror and see who the real criminal is.
I am tired of all the slurs hurled at those less fortunate that us. Some people really need the programs to sustain some sort of semblance of life. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are not handouts. They are a way for people to be able to survive. Healthcare in the richest country should not be considered a handout. Healthcare is a right for all citizens and residents of this country. Stop bellyaching about our social programs and instead look at those who should contribute to our well-being, but instead hoard their wealth while so many are on the brink of starvation . If we consider ourselves a Christian nation, then we have an obligation to look out for the less fortunate among us. If we are truly Christian, then we should love our neighbor and not condemn them for trying to live a reasonable life. STOP the HATE in this country. Hate is destructive of all that this country stands for.
Well stated!
Excellent!!!
It continues to amaze me how this current administration can continue to kidnap individuals off the streets with no due process with very little pushback? ( Where is Mayor Mitchell on this?) The fact that these individuals come to this country running for their lives after the US destroyed the political infrastructure in these countries by indirectly replacing politicians with drug lords due to the insatiable appetite for illegal drugs the US demands on a daily basis. This country was built on immigration and it should not take YEARS to lawfully apply for citizenship . Illegal immigrants pay BILLIONS into Medicaid and social security and receive NOTHING out of it. That’s right FACTS .While the current administration wants to cut Medicade and social security these individuals are paying into YOUR benefits that they will NOT get, meanwhile people continue to whine about the horrors of having people in this country that don’t look or act like them is utterly disgusting. Most ( If not all) of these jobs they do would not be touched by the complainers and they could care less if the US constitution is actually followed. Even a simpleton could find a criminal drug dealer with a long record to deport but ICE just grabs anyone because they have NO REAL PLAN. So far PHD students, Hard working parents, Etc. 75-90% of deported individuals to the gulag concentration camp have NO criminal record whatsoever. The current administration has shown they could care less about their voters as the red states are finding out right now.. Just wait till they come for you!
Those illegal immigrants are criminals now, they earned that title when they entered America illegally. If you think the process is to long, let them seek asylum in another country. The last thing needed in America is more unskilled workers who can’t read, write, or speak English, and people who don’t have basic math skills.
Donald Trump promised his base that he would immediately deport violent criminals ie rapists, murderers,etc. What he has actually done is go after what they call, “ the low hanging fruit” the easy marks who have basically done nothing wrong and are easy to locate because they are out there working, paying taxes, taking care of their families and being good neighbors. That makes them easy to find. Never thought I would see this but here we are.
If they speak Spanish and have brown skin they are vulnerable. He does not care if these arrests are totally illegal and against the constitution. I have not heard about one, single murderer or rapist being deported/ arrested. Maybe that is because there are actually so few of them and they are much harder to find. Trump is committing treason every day and we the people stand back and watch. Sounds like Nazi Germany to me.
Instead of bashing Trump and lying about what he said, why don’t you look up the number of illegal immigrants Obama deported, look at how many Biden deported, the only difference between them is Trump is transparent, and either Kristi Noem, or Trump will talk about it while the Democrats keep it a secret.
Trump is doing exactly what he said he would be doing, he said MS-13, TDA, and other gang members, violent criminals would be targeted first, and he also said he was going to deport ALL illegal immigrants. He said it many times, this is going to be the largest deportation operation in history, and both Trump & Norm advised people who are in America illegally, you should prepare your family members, get your finances in order, have a will drawn up for the Guardians to take custody of your children, etc. and another option is to self report, that way you’re in control of when, where, and how you leave America be aise if you don’t, and you decide to take a chance and stay, you will be found, arrested, detained, and deported, and if you don’t want your family to be separated, you can take them with you when you self deport.
Biden deported immigrants (and not just “bad guys”) at a faster rate than Trump, but you didn’t hear the liberal media crying about it. By all means, let’s save tax dollars and show these people some sympathy by stopping the deportations. But don’t be fooled by media partisanship.
Exactly, Obama deported over 4 million illegal immigrants, he just didn’t talk about it, and if you tell the Trump haters that fact, they’ll call you a liar.
To the rising young adults of the city: learn the law, study it, know it, in order to recognize immediately when wrongs are committed against you and your loved ones. When you recognize unlawful acts you are better equipped to protect yourself, and to work towards an equitable society, one in which wrongs cannot be committed. Coraje!
Thank you for this enlightening article on the challenges faced by Guatemalan immigrants in the United States, particularly focusing on such a poignant case. The human stories behind immigration statistics are often overlooked, and this piece does a great job of highlighting the personal impact of federal policies. An often lesser-known aspect of these situations is how the concept of “writ of mandamus” can play a role in immigration cases. This legal order compels government officials to fulfill their duties, and it can be particularly useful in situations where individuals face prolonged detention or delayed processing of their applications. For example, immigrants who experience delays in their asylum hearings can potentially explore filing a writ of mandamus to expedite the process. Cases in various jurisdictions have demonstrated that this can bring attention to otherwise stagnant situations, though it is subject to the judicial system’s willingness to intervene. In light of this, I wonder how many individuals are aware of such legal recourses and to what extent they have been utilized in similar immigration cases. Do you think that a better understanding of tools like the writ of mandamus could empower immigrant communities to navigate their challenges more effectively?
The problem with your suggestion is if 7 million illegal immigrants files a Writ of Mandamus, the process wouldn’t be any shorter.
I can’t wait to read a lot more news about large raids like last week where over 800 illegal immigrants were detained in a single location, there are many more of those on the way, GO TRUMP!!!
MAKE AMERICA ILLEGAL ALIEN FREE AGAIN!!!!!!
Of course the process has an incredibly long wait list, that’s what happens when a dope like Biden opens the border for 3.5 years resulting in 10-15 million people entering America illegally. All of the illegal immigrants sympathisers are complaining about how so many illegal immigrants with no criminal record, they go to work daily and pay federal, state, Medicare, and Social Security taxes, they’re good people who shouldn’t be deported, but they’re wrong, when they crossed the border illegally, that was a crime, and they’re now criminals. The best part is if they’re not lying about working and paying taxes, it’s going to make it much easier to find them, detain them, and report them.
I’m growing tired of hearing bigots complain, “Why don’t they just come here legally like my grandparents had to.”
Or, “They don’t pay taxes and yet, get everything for free while I have to struggle to make ends meet.”
Attached is one of many articles describing the easy process most immigrants had to go through in order to enter the USA “legally.”
Additionally, a simple Google search will show how many BILLIONS of dollars undocumented workers pay in taxes while not being eligible for any benefits from doing so.
I understand the frustration folks are feeling, but blaming undocumented workers for their plight is barking up the wrong tree.
This blame-game and scapegoating immigrants is nothing new. The targets of this hateful rhetoric has changed over the years, with Germans, Italians, Catholics, Irish, Chinese, Japanese, Mexicans, etc., all having their turn.
I suggest looking up the “No Nothing Movement” for a clearer understanding of this phenomenon.
Of late, it is Haitians, Central Americans, Middle Easterners, Africans that are getting the brunt of the blame.
Hitler began with the Jews, then the Roma (Gypsies), then homosexuals, then the disabled.
It is hard for me to understand the level of hate being expressed, the blanket categorizing of undocumented immigrants as violent criminals. The dehumanization being expressed. The complete absence of empathy.
Normally, I just dismiss hateful comments on social media, but I think it’s time we take them on and challenge them to back up their allegations with facts.
I guarantee that the only response from these mean-spirited folks will be to double down by vile name-calling, and not-so-subtle threats of bodily harm.