Nov 6, 2010
3 Members Of Santos Family Taken Into Custody After Traffic Infraction
San Diego 10News
ESCONDIDO, Calif. -- A North County family is desperate for answers regarding the whereabouts and safety of their three relatives.
Raquel Barrios told 10News a San Diego County Sheriff's Deputy pulled over her friend Minerva Santos late Friday morning for a traffic infraction.
Barrios said the female deputy asked to see immigration papers for all three people inside the car: 9-year-old Nadia Santos, 28-year-old Minerva Santos and 44-year-old Alejandrina Santos
When no one inside the car had the papers, the deputy called Border Patrol. Barrios said she then received a frantic phone call from Minerva Santos asking her to come to the intersection of Mission Avenue and Fig Street in Escondido.
When she got there, Barrios said she asked the deputy why she called immigration officials about a traffic infraction.
"I [asked], 'Why is that a decision that you made?' and she said, 'It's my prerogative. I can call U.S. Border Patrol if I would like or if I don't want to,'" said Barrios.
Barrios shared with 10News video she recorded of a deputy patting down the two adults and then the little girl. After the adults were placed in handcuffs, they were transferred into a law enforcement vehicle and taken away.
Barrios said she had no idea where the three were taken, but she said she knew she had to go back to the Santos home and tell the rest of the family about what happened.
"It was very hard," she said. "How do you tell a child, 'you're going to go home today from school but Mom is not there... sister's not there [and] your niece isn't there either'? There's no dinner."
Left behind at the Santos' north Escondido home were Alejandrina Santos' husband and their daughters, Elizabeth, 10, and Esther, 12.
Esther had tears pouring down her face as she said, "I feel really sad for my mom, my sister and my niece."
Elizabeth, who was also crying, struggled to speak and said, "This can't be happening."
Immigration attorney Cesar Luna said every law enforcement agency had its own policy and discretion when dealing with perceived illegal immigrants.
"Nothing prohibits officers from contacting immigration authorities for anything, but in the instance of pulling someone over for a traffic violation, it's irrelevant the nationality or the immigration status of a person," said Luna.
Barrios said she is aware the family was in violation of the law by not having the proper documentation, but she said, "Only someone who has children and a family can understand [that] we all need to eat."
10News contacted the Sheriff's Department with questions but spokeswoman Jan Caldwell told us she did not have time to get the deputy's side but that anyone who has an issue with the Sheriff's Department should file a report.
No comments:
Post a Comment