A local daycare worker cried while describing her father-in-law, one of nine immigrants detained at the Allston Car wash earlier this week.
Sandra, 31, said Thursday night that Héctor Valladares is an “older, gentle man” from El Salvador who had lived in the U.S. for 25 years, and lived down the street in Allston, within walking distance to his job.
Sandra met with GBH News at a local cafe and agreed to tell her family’s story on the condition that we not use her last name, given that she is undocumented and fears deportation.
“It’s very emotional for my children,” she said as her 11-year-old daughter sat quietly next to her and her six-year-old son played with a stuffed animal. “They see him all the time and spend time with their grandfather.”
Sandra shook quietly as she described the three-minute phone call she had with Valladares after his detention.
“He was very quiet, very depressed,” she said in Spanish. “He said his case won’t be won, he’s worried that our family will waste money on him,” she said.
Valladares told her that he was forced to sign something at the car wash, and believes it was a self-deportation order. ICE hasn’t returned requests for comment about that claim.
Sandra’s brother works at the car wash, and was present as ICE arrived, but managed to run away.
“This is causing pain — the separation of families, of working people who have not done anything bad here in the country. They are earning their daily bread — it is like racism against Latinos,” she said.
Five women and four men from Central America were detained in Tuesday morning’s raid. Many were members of the same families. All nine have federal habeas cases filed by the law firm Rubin & Pomerleau, and have now been granted separate judicial orders requiring that they not be deported by ICE as their cases proceed.
“Everyone is absolutely traumatized,” said Todd Pomerleau, partner of the firm, referring to the family members of detainees that he’s spoken to.
“They’re looking for answers. This is a group of people that were working a job, showing up everyday so they can provide for their families. And a bunch of agents show up with masks over their faces,” he said.
The nine individuals are currently being held in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Sandra described the car wash as a place “where families work.” In addition to Héctor, two other members of the Valladares family were detained, including the aunt and cousin to Sandra’s children. Another two detainees were sisters in another family.
Videos online show over a dozen vehicles swarming the car wash, people being put into vehicles, and one agent pointing a gun at an immigrant as they’re led into a van. GBH News was not able to verify who took the videos, but advocates say they were taken by car wash customers.
Yuli Magali Mendez Luarca is one of the detained women. Her sister had organizers of a rally Thursday night read her statement.
“We are very worried because up until this moment we do not know anything about her or how she is doing,” the statement said. “We’re left in anguish. It does not seem fair to us what they continue to do to immigrants. They continue to harm people who are working, people who do no harm, who contribute to the life and care of this community.”
The statement described Luarca as a “hard worker who showed up every day, rain or shine.”
In response, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin described all nine workers as in the country illegally.
“On November 4, ICE conducted a targeted immigration enforcement operation in Allston, Massachusetts that resulted in the arrest of 9 illegal aliens including an illegal alien who chose to commit a felony by illegally re-entering the U.S.,” said McLaughlin’s statement. “Three entered under the Biden administration, four were gotaways at the border, one entered illegally under W. Bush, and another overstayed his visa which expired under President Clinton.”
The agency didn’t reply to follow-up questions about the individuals, the allegations against them, or what a “gotaways” means — but Pomerleau described the government statement as inaccurate.
“I know several of the people had valid work permits,” said Pomerleau. “Some were seeking lawful processes, including asylum. One of them was awaiting a green card that is on, it just has a processing delay because there is a backlog.”
Allston Car Wash is cooperating with DHS, said Matthew Maoina, an attorney representing the business. The firm is reviewing paperwork and declined to comment on whether ICE had performed an official audit of the employee’s paperwork through the company.
“The concern here is for the individuals involved,” Maoina said.
Immigration agents can go to a business to give a business owner notice of an audit to verify employees’ identities and authorization to work in the United States. Those found in violation of the rules can be ordered to terminate staff or face fines. Under law, businesses have three work days to produce those forms after receiving notice from ICE. It is unclear if that occurred in this case.
