The Pomona City Council is demanding the release of an undocumented man currently held at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, citing concerns about his health and access to medical care while in federal custody.
Ramiro Santiago Pacheco Martinez, 53, was arrested by Border Patrol agents last November while waiting for a bus in Pomona to pick up medication for his diabetes, according to family members and advocates.
His daughter, Jax Santana, said her father has been detained for about three months and suffers from multiple medical conditions, including high blood pressure and a serious heart condition that requires consistent medical treatment. She said he has suffered three heart attacks in recent years and has a pacemaker that may need to be replaced. He relies on regular medication to manage his health conditions.
Santana alleges that after her father was transferred to the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, he did not consistently receive his medication.
She said the detention has also taken an emotional and financial toll on her family, since Pacheco Martinez was one of the household’s main providers. The uncertainty surrounding his condition forced her to withdraw from classes, while she tried to advocate for his release.
“The only thing on my mind was, ‘Is my dad going to be released? Is my dad going to be okay? Will I get to see my dad?’” Santana said.
The Pomona City Council passed a resolution Monday calling on federal authorities to release Pacheco Martinez from detention.
Pomona Mayor Tim Sandoval said the action reflects the values of the community and was driven in part by advocacy from local residents and immigrant rights groups.
“When we have an opportunity to say ‘Free Ramiro,’ it speaks to the values of this community,” Sandoval said.
City officials say Pacheco Martinez has lived in the United States for nearly two decades and does not have a criminal record.
The effort has drawn support from leaders at multiple levels of government. Local, state and federal lawmakers have written letters to the Department of Homeland Security asking the agency to release Pacheco Martinez.
State Senator Susan Rubio joined family members and community advocates at a press conference calling the situation a humanitarian issue.
“We have a father who is suffering from health issues,” Rubio said. “He needs his family, he needs his medication, and we all need him to come home.”
Advocates with the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center say federal immigration authorities can grant release from detention on a case-by-case basis for humanitarian reasons, including serious medical conditions, if a person is not considered a danger to the community or a flight risk.
“This is why we’re demanding [Pacheco Martinez’s] immediate release on medical and humanitarian grounds,” said Alexis Teodoro, the worker’s rights director with the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center.
Teodoro also said the case has resonated widely in Pomona’s immigrant community, particularly among day laborers who fear they could face similar arrests.
“There have been more than 175 day laborers disappeared in our region,” Teodoro said. “Ramiro is not just a day laborer. He’s a beloved member of the community.”
Josue Itep, a Pomona day laborer, said many workers now feel anxious carrying out routine activities like waiting for work or riding the bus.
“Before it used to be so normal to be at the bus stop and have to worry about nothing,” Itep said. “But right now, it's like you have to be looking around because there’s a lot of fear.”
Federal officials dispute the family’s claims about his medical care. In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said Pacheco Martinez has received “comprehensive medical care while in ICE custody,” including medication to manage his cardiac disease and diabetes as well as scheduled cardiology and ophthalmology consultations.
The agency also defended immigration detention practices in its statement, saying, “Being in detention is a choice.”
Pacheco Martinez is expected to appear before an immigration judge Wednesday and is expected to request bond.
