The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is responding to “lazy” news reports suggesting that a Los Angeles activist was kidnapped by federal agents or bounty hunters and is being detained near the southern border until she decides to self-deport.
Juliana “Juli” Pelaez Calderon was on her way to work in South Los Angeles when she was allegedly “abducted” by armed men in an unmarked vehicle and taken to the border at the San Ysidro port of entry. There, she was reportedly presented with self-deportation documents, according to her family’s lawyer from the Immigrant Defenders Law Center during a press briefing on Monday.
“However, when Juli refused to sign the documents, when she insisted on seeing a judge and on speaking to an attorney, she was punished,” stated Attorney Stephano Medina.
Juliana Calderon and family at a news conference. (KTTV)
“Lazy reporting like this is why trust in the media is at an all-time low. This type of fear-mongering demonizes our law enforcement, who are now facing a nearly 700% increase in assaults against them,” McLaughlin added.
Calderon, a mother of three, is a member of the community organization Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, Fox Los Angeles reported. She has been allowed to make two calls to her family, but her whereabouts are still unknown, her supporters said.
“How many people do we think this is happening too?” Medina asked.
Medina said the federal government has contracted with bounty hunters to “kidnap” illegal immigrants to take them to the border and pressure them to sign self-deportation paperwork.
Immigration advocates have accused U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents of illegally detaining U.S. citizens and kidnapping people off the street, which authorities have denied.
