Migrant Mother Detained, Daughter Appeals for Support
The youngest daughter of a Wayne County farm worker detained by federal immigration agents made an emotional appeal over the weekend, urging onlookers not to turn a blind eye to her mother’s plight. “I felt the urge to scream, to cry, and to question why such events are unfolding before our eyes,” Miriam Debuts remarked.
Dolores Bustamante, aged 54, is currently being held at the Richwood Correctional Center, a sizable immigration detention facility located outside Monroe, Louisiana. Bustamante, known for her active advocacy for workers’ rights, has become a focal point in the ongoing discourse regarding the treatment of migrant farm workers under the Trump administration’s immigration policies, which have drawn criticism from Democratic leaders in Albany and Washington, D.C.
Bustamante was taken into custody during a scheduled Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) check-in in Buffalo last Wednesday. A federal judge has since issued a moratorium on her deportation and has convened a virtual status conference slated for Thursday to evaluate her case.
More than two decades ago, Bustamante crossed the border from Mexico with a three-year-old Miriam, seeking refuge from domestic violence. However, after her asylum request was denied in 2018, she was ordered to be deported. The Biden administration categorized her case as a lower priority, allowing her to participate in a detention alternative program that involved regular check-ins and tracking through an app installed on her phone.
According to Bustamante’s legal team, “Generally, a change in circumstances must occur before ICE can re-arrest a noncitizen previously released.” They are calling for any decisions to revoke her release to be evaluated in court. A recent analysis by The Buffalo News hinted that outcomes for detainees often hinge more on the judges assigned to their cases than the legal arguments presented.
ICE has stated that Bustamante has received all necessary due process, emphasizing that violations of immigration law can result in arrest, detention, and deportation. Her case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Meredith Vacca, a Biden nominee recognized for her stance on the law’s provisions regarding mandatory detentions.
Bustamante’s transition to the Richwood facility was expedited; she was transferred from an Ohio county jail late Wednesday and subsequently placed on flights to the detention center early the next morning. Family members and her attorney were initially unaware of her whereabouts following her detention, with her attorney seeking information late into Thursday night.
The Richwood facility has garnered attention for its capacity challenges and conditions. Opening in 2019, it has a maximum capacity of 1,129 detainees and reportedly began exceeding that number earlier this year. Records indicate that female immigrants now outnumber men in the facility, constituting nearly 60% of the inmates, most of whom have no prior criminal history.
A 2022 report from USA Today highlighted deteriorating conditions, including declining food quality, while federal inspections have revealed health and safety violations. Despite these challenges, Bustamante remains resilient, stating in a phone call to family members that she found the food acceptable and has engaged in activities such as joining a faith group and volunteering for a small daily wage.
As Bustamante’s supporters continue to rally for her release, her daughter, still over 1,200 miles away in Rochester, expressed her struggle to remain strong. “I wish I could stand here and be as brave as she is,” she shared, conveying the profound impact of her mother’s detention on her life.
