Hello all,

I am organizing this Go Fund Me on behalf of a friend who wishes to remain unnamed.

On the evening of October 13th, our friend was detained by ICE while traveling through LAX. She is currently being held at Adelanto Detention Center, where her family is pursuing legal avenues to secure her release. Although we remain hopeful that she will be released in the near future, her removal defense case is ongoing, with no clear timeline for resolution. Funds raised will be allocated toward legal representation and the essential expenses associated with her care and well-being during and after detention.

Her sister, who was at her side throughout this brief but life-altering exchange with the DHS, has shared her firsthand account of the evening below:

Shortly after passing through TSA with ease, my sister and I made our way to our airline gate when three Department of Homeland Security agents dressed in civilian clothes approached us, displayed their badges, and requested to see our IDs. We both presented our valid California REAL ID driver’s licenses, and within seconds, the agents demanded that my sister accompany them, singling her out without explanation.

I pleaded with the agents to let me accompany her and attempted to explain that we are sisters who share the same legal status in the United States. They refused. I then—under the impression that she was solely being taken into a room for questioning—asked if I could at least wait nearby while they spoke with her. Again, they refused, stating that they were "following procedure," and raised their hands to prevent me from taking another step toward where they were leading her.

Twenty minutes had passed before I noticed that my sister's location had shifted on my phone, and she was already 10 miles away, en route to the Metropolitan Detention Center in DTLA.

I immediately called a friend to pick me up from the airport and take me to the detention center, hoping to explain that this was a gross misunderstanding. While we were on our way, I received a call from my sister using the facility's phone. She told me that immediately after we were separated at our airline gate, she had been escorted to a van and handcuffed from her waist down to her ankles.

After spending 22 hours in a cell with nothing more than a Mylar blanket, my sister was transferred to Adelanto Detention Center. The conditions she has since described to me are deeply dehumanizing and raise serious concerns about the treatment and dignity afforded to people in detention. Upon arrival, she was forced to cut off her braids. She was given a single plastic spoon that she is expected to reuse for every meal throughout her detention. She reported that detainees at Adelanto are afforded only two hours of outdoor recreation per day, despite a federal court order in L.T. v. ICE (effective July 16, 2026), requiring a minimum of four hours daily.

My sister is among many detainees at Adelanto who, like her, have spent years navigating the U.S. immigration system and complying with its requirements. In the twelve years we have lived in this country, we have navigated numerous legal processes with USCIS, including applying and reapplying for Employment Authorization Documents (work permits), attending routine biometric appointments, and fulfilling other immigration requirements.

Why my sister was detained on October 13th while I was not remains an unanswered question. We are struggling to make sense of how this happened. This is the last situation I ever imagined my family would find itself in, and truthfully, feels like a nightmare I have yet to wake up from.

Unfortunately, we are not certain how long she will remain in detention. While we are optimistic, we are told her detention could last several months. We are raising funds to help cover legal expenses and essential needs, including attorney retainer fees for her removal defense case, commissary and phone credits to help her maintain access to basic necessities and stay connected with loved ones, her ongoing bills and financial obligations, and medical and behavioral health resources to support her recovery and well-being following her release.

To everyone who is in a position to contribute, we are immensely grateful for your generosity, resources, and prayers.

Thank you for the outpouring of kindness and support you've shown my family during this profoundly painful time. It means more to us than words can express.