1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

The arrest of farmworker activist and union leader Alfredo Juarez Zeferino by ICE is a concerning case of targeted enforcement against individuals engaged in lawful activities such as labor organizing. As a 25-year-old immigrant farmworker who has resided in the United States since childhood and received community awards for his volunteer work, Juarez does not appear to be the type of high-priority immigration case ICE claims to prioritize. His detention while driving his partner to work, despite having no criminal record, suggests he may have been surveilled and singled out for his visibility as a community leader. This raises concerns about potential political motivations behind the arrest. While Juarez had a standing deportation order from 2018, deporting hardworking individuals deeply rooted in their communities does little to serve the public interest. Such actions strain local economies and tear families apart. I urge you to call for Juarez's release and an investigation into whether his arrest constituted improper retaliation for his activism and union involvement, activities which are fully legal and protected under U.S. law. Law-abiding immigrants should not live in fear of being ripped from their lives for exercising their rights. Reasonable immigration policies that respect due process and human dignity are needed.