Who is Sonia Parris? Mother of two detained by ICE in Alabama after 30 years in the US
Sonia Parris, 30, was placed under ICE detention, despite having lived in the United States for much of her life.
Sonia Parris, 30, was arrested on November 17 in Alabama during a routine traffic stop and was soon taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Newsweek reported
She is now being held at a processing centre in Louisiana, according to family statements.
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Who is Sonia Parris?
Sonia Parris, 30, was born in Mexico but brought to the United States when she was just two months old. Her family has said she grew up in the US, effectively making America the only home she has ever known.
Parris lived in the US under the framework of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), the programme instituted to shield "Dreamers" brought to the US as children. However, her protection lapsed several years back when she failed to renew her DACA status, her former husband Dalton, 34, told Newsweek.
On November 17, Sonia was placed in the St. Clair County Jail; the following day, her family paid costs and a $50 bond. Dalton told Newsweek that when family members came to retrieve her, they were told that ICE had put a hold on her and would take her within 48 hours.
Dalton further said, "Sonia Corona is her current legal name after our divorce, but her most recent documentation still shows Sonia Parris from our marriage."
Parris is a mother of two children, a 12-year-old son, Taylor Parris and a 2-year-old daughter.
Her 12-year-old son, a U.S. citizen, will turn 13 soon, likely without his mother by his side. “He’ll cry himself to sleep,” her former spouse told community reporters.
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Rigid detention policy undertaken by ICE
Parris's detention has made a juncture for discussion around ICE's enforcement strategy. For individuals who came to the U.S. as babies and lived most of their lives on American soil, a minor immigration-status lapse, often bureaucratic, can lead to detainment, separation, and extreme family disruption.
A recent report by a San Diego public-media outlet notes that ICE has also detained people going in for a green-card or interview appointments, “who have no violent criminal history.” Immigration lawyers quoted in the report called the arrests unnecessary, “traumatizing,” and harmful to families.
In Parris’ case, there are no reports of violent crime or serious felony, only traffic and licence-related issues.
According to the same report, some detainees had U.S.-citizen children and lawful spouses; their only “offence” was overstaying a visa, a status that, under ordinary circumstances, could be regularized through adjustment if married to a U.S. citizen.
Impact on DACA immigrants
Many undocumented or lapsed-status immigrants are facing uncertainty due to recent increases in ICE enforcement and a closing window for DACA renewals.
Civil-rights watchdog Human Rights Watch has explicitly called recent ICE tactics “punishing the innocent.” They stated that many held in detention facilities are long-time residents or individuals with no criminal history.
The Guardian reported that immigrants with no criminal record have become the largest group held in ICE detention. The article notes that “illegal-immigration violators” (i.e. those without crimes) now outnumber those with criminal convictions.
