5 men detained by ICE while camping in WA forest released, return home

WASHINGTON - Five Mexican men arrested by immigration agents while camping with their families in Washington’s Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest over Labor Day weekend have been released from detention, but they say their cases are far from over.

The men, who spent about six weeks in immigration detention at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, returned home on Oct. 15. All five are now wearing ankle monitors as they await the next steps in their immigration cases.

In an interview with FOX 13 Seattle, the men described the night they were detained, the separation from their spouses and children, and the uncertainty they still face. Their interviews were conducted in Spanish, and FOX 13 Seattle translated their statements into English for this report.

Men say they were misled before arrest

The backstory:

The men said camping with their families over Labor Day weekend had been an annual tradition. They said people they believed were forest rangers approached them at the campsite and asked for identification, telling them there was a concern about trash.

Faustino Carmona Gijón said he believes the explanation about trash was used to determine their immigration status.

"It was really a deception," Carmona Gijón said. "They didn’t actually come because of the trash; they came to see what our immigration status was."

Bernardino Ramos Villanueva said he initially had no reason to be afraid because he and the others were sleeping and believed they had done nothing wrong. He said he realized immigration agents were involved after handing over his identification and seeing a sign marked ICE.

The men said they were handcuffed and shackled around their waists and feet before being taken into custody.

Carmona Gijón described the experience as something he would not wish on anyone.

"I felt like a criminal, like something I had seen on TV and in movies," Carmona Gijón said. "We hadn’t done anything wrong, yet they were treating us like criminals."

Ramos Villanueva said he believed racism played a role in their arrests.

Six weeks away from their families

What you can do:

The men said their detention took a heavy emotional toll on their families, particularly their children.

Carmona Gijón, who said he has four children, missed his son’s birthday on Sept. 17 while he was detained.

"Unfortunately, I couldn’t be there," he said. "It was the first time I hadn’t been with one of my children during all the years I’ve been with them. It feels horrible."

Alvaro Robles Villanueva, said his wife sometimes wakes up crying, and his son wakes up screaming his name.

"It’s very painful to see them," Robles Villanueva said.

The men said returning home has not erased the experience. Their children have asked questions about the ankle monitors, and the men said they are struggling to explain what may happen next.

Robles Villanueva said he is trying to enjoy his time with his family because he does not know what news he might receive in the future.

Bond payments, ankle monitors and an uncertain future

Local perspective:

Getting out of detention came at a significant financial cost for the men. One reported paying a $15,000 bond, while another said his bond was $12,000, the other three paid $10,000 each.

Although the men are now home, they said their immigration cases remain unresolved. They also described uncertainty about when they may be able to return to work, including while they wait for work authorization.

One man said he feels trapped by the process and worries that, even after spending time rebuilding his life with his family, he could eventually be deported.

"We don’t know how long we’ll be with our families at home," he said, describing the possibility of receiving a deportation decision in the future.

Robles Villanueva said he was relieved to leave the detention center but remained concerned about people still being held there. The 29-year-old described feeling happy to leave behind what he said was poor food and a facility where detainees were suffering from infections, while also feeling sad for those who remained ill and in custody.

During their interview, several of them said conditions inside the facility were poor and at least two of them started showing signs of skin infections on their face and lower legs, which they say is slowly getting better now that they're home.

They claim some of the immigrants inside the facility were also showing signs of infection, too.

What are the next steps in their cases?

What's next:

The five men remain in immigration proceedings and say they are required to comply with monitoring and check-in requirements. They described living with fear because they do not know how their cases will be resolved.

The Department of Homeland Security previously said the men were arrested Sept. 5 in an operation involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Forest Service. At the time, the department said they remained in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

The men’s release means they can be with their families while their cases continue, but it has not provided certainty about whether they will be allowed to remain in the United States.

The family is still raising funds to help with legal fees and to help with bills to get them through while they wait for work permits.

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