Urgent Update: ICE Mistakenly Targets Native American for Deportation

URGENT UPDATE: Just hours before her scheduled release, Leticia Jacobo, a 24-year-old member of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, faced the terrifying prospect of deportation due to a clerical error by immigration authorities. Jacobo, born in Phoenix, Arizona, was held at the Polk County Jail in Des Moines, Iowa, for allegedly driving with a suspended license, but her release, set for November 11, 2023, was complicated by an erroneously issued ICE detainer.

As her mother, Ericka Burns, arrived at the jail to finalize pickup details, staff informed her that Jacobo would not be released and would instead be turned over to immigration agents. This shocking revelation unfolded just as the family was ready to reunite after a month apart. “How is she going to get deported if she’s a Native American?” Burns’ sister, Maria Nunez, recounted her disbelief as she desperately sought answers.

The situation escalated quickly, with Jacobo’s family mobilizing to prevent her transfer into federal custody. They reached out to local tribal leaders and posted appeals for help on social media. Despite their frantic efforts, jail staff initially expressed uncertainty about the situation, stating they were merely following orders from immigration officials.

Authorities later confirmed that the ICE detainer was a mix-up, mistakenly placed on Jacobo’s file instead of another individual booked at the same time. Lt. Mark Chance of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office stated, “It was human error… there will be discussions on how to prevent this in the future.”

Jacobo, who was released just before 4:30 a.m. on November 12, 2023, was left shaken by the ordeal. “I just hope it doesn’t ever happen to someone else,” Nunez expressed before her sister’s release.

The incident raises serious concerns about the implications of aggressive immigration enforcement on Native Americans, a group that often faces scrutiny despite their citizenship status. In recent months, reports have surfaced detailing interactions between federal immigration authorities and Indigenous individuals, causing alarm within Native communities.

Jacobo had her tribal identification on her at the time of her arrest, and this incident has sparked fears of racial profiling. Nunez emphasized the importance of advocacy, noting that not everyone has the support system Jacobo did. The family is now considering legal action to address the emotional and psychological toll of this near-deportation experience.

The use of ICE detainers has come under significant scrutiny, especially in light of the heightened enforcement under recent administrations. Legal experts point out that detainers can lead to potentially unconstitutional extended detentions, raising questions about their legitimacy and the treatment of U.S. citizens.

As this story develops, Jacobo’s family hopes that their nightmare serves as a wake-up call for the broader community about the vulnerabilities faced by Indigenous peoples in the United States.

Stay tuned for more updates on this urgent situation as it unfolds.