Recent ICE enforcement actions in Los Angeles and Sacramento are raising urgent legal and economic concerns for Latino families protected under DACA.
A growing number of DACA recipients detained in California has raised urgent questions for immigrant families across Los Angeles and Sacramento. Recent reporting by CBS News confirms that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 261 DACA recipients nationwide over a 10-month period in 2025, signaling a shift in enforcement that immigration attorneys say is creating new uncertainty—even for those with valid protection.
DACA, administered by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services under the Department of Homeland Security, does not provide permanent legal status. It grants temporary protection from deportation and work authorization. But recent cases show that protection is not always preventing detention.
High-Profile California Cases
In Los Angeles, Javier Diaz Santana, a deaf DACA recipient, was detained during a June 2025 workplace raid and later transferred to Texas before being released following community advocacy.
In Orange County, Ismael Ayala-Uribe, a former DACA recipient, was arrested during a car wash raid in Fountain Valley and detained at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center. He died in custody in September 2025, prompting calls for federal oversight.
Most recently, Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez was arrested during a scheduled green card interview at a USCIS field office in Sacramento and deported the following day, according to reporting by Los Angeles Times.
Legal analysts at UCLA and statements from California Attorney General Rob Bonta describe a notable change in enforcement patterns in 2025:
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Roughly 75% of individuals arrested in Los Angeles summer raids had no criminal convictions.
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Arrests increasingly occurred in courthouses, workplaces, and immigration appointments.
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Deportations from California more than doubled compared to 2024, with at least 8,250 removals in the first nine months of 2025, according to regional reporting by The Sacramento Bee.
Nationally, coverage from PBS and analysis from the American Immigration Council indicate that some DACA recipients were detained after criminal arrests, while others were apprehended during routine check-ins or daily activities.
What This Means for Latino Families
For California’s Latino communities, the implications are profound. DACA recipients are often students, caregivers, and primary income earners. Advocates stress that individuals with active DACA status should carry documentation at all times and consult trusted immigration counsel if facing interviews or status adjustments.
Attorneys also note that while some detainees were later released following legal challenges or public advocacy, detention—even temporary—can disrupt employment, housing stability, and family unity.
DACA remains in effect as of early 2026, but it continues to face legal challenges in federal courts. Immigration experts urge recipients to stay informed through official government channels and reputable legal organizations.
For families in Los Angeles and Sacramento, the recent detentions are a reminder: protection under DACA reduces risk—but it does not eliminate it.
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