LOS ANGELES _ A 22-year-old immigration activist and college student was detained by Border Patrol agents Thursday, sparking claims that she was targeted in retaliation for protesting the arrest of her mother, who was swept up by federal agents during a massive cocaine bust last month.
Claudia Rueda was taken into custody while she was moving her family's car outside their Boyle Heights home Thursday morning, according to her attorney, Monika Langarica.
Langarica said Rueda was being held at a federal detention facility near San Diego late Thursday night.
"She was moving the car because of street sweeping," Langarica said. "Before she got out of the car, three vehicles pulled up."
Activists and friends of Rueda claim the 22-year-old was targeted because of protests she has led in recent weeks over the detention of her mother, 54-year-old Teresa Vidal-Jaime. Vidal-Jaime was detained by federal agents during a drug raid that targeted other members of Rueda's family. But authorities determined that Vidal-Jaime was not involved in the alleged drug trafficking and she was released on bail earlier this month.
In response to specific questions about Rueda's detention, Jose Hernandez, a spokesman for the Border Patrol, said seven people were detained in Los Angeles on Thursday morning as part of a wider probe of cross-border drug smuggling. He did not identify the seven people, citing "privacy concerns," but said they were apprehended at several locations.
Hernandez did not respond to requests for additional information Friday.
Langarica said there was no evidence suggesting any link between Rueda and alleged criminal or drug-related activity. The investigation that led to the arrest of several of Rueda's relatives last month was part of a joint operation by the Border Patrol and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Nicole Nishida, a spokeswoman for the Sheriff's Department, said Friday that Rueda was not currently under investigation by the department's narcotics bureau. The Sheriff's Department was notified that Border Patrol would be conducting a "follow-up" investigation in Los Angeles on Thursday, but sheriff's personnel were not involved, Nishida said.
Los Angeles Police Capt. Alfred Labrada, who oversees patrol operations in Hollenbeck Division, said the Border Patrol notified the department that it would be conducting a follow-up to the prior drug investigation in the area on Thursday, but the LAPD was not involved.
Langarica suggested that Rueda's detention was connected to her involvement in her mother's ongoing immigration case.
In April, Vidal-Jaime, was picked up by federal authorities during a raid at a Boyle Heights apartment complex where more than 30 pounds of cocaine and $600,000 in cash was found, officials said. Vidal-Jaime's husband, Hugo Rueda, and three other men were arrested on suspicion of drug possession.
Rueda and the other men were charged with possession of narcotics with the intent to sell. Last month, CBP officials said Rueda and one of the other men were suspected of entering the U.S. illegally and could face deportation.
Though investigators said Vidal-Jaime was not involved with the alleged drug trafficking, she was held for several weeks in federal custody. On May 12, over the objections of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, she was released after posting $2,000 bail.
Claudia Rueda played a central role in advocating on behalf of her mother, whom Langarica also represents.
"There is a lot that suggests retaliatory behavior on Border Patrol's part," Langarica said.
Immigration activist Claudia Bautista, a friend of Rueda's, said Rueda was detained Thursday on Hicks Avenue near her aunt's home. Border Patrol agents then tried to gain access to the home of Rueda's aunt, but were denied entry, Bautista said. They then moved to a guest house on the property, according to Bautista.
"This is exactly what everyone feared," she said. "It is very concerning they'd just come into a Los Angeles neighborhood and take her and other people."
Bautista said she believes Rueda was taken into custody as "retribution" for her activism on behalf of her mother.
"They wanted payback," she said.
Rueda's detention swiftly galvanized local activists. Groups circulated a photograph of Rueda with one fist raised, accompanied by a demand for her release. The Immigrant Youth Coalition and the L.A. chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America issued statements and launched social media campaigns on Rueda's behalf.
Activists staged a protest outside of the CBP's offices in Chula Vista on Thursday night, and video footage showed dozens of protesters chanting "free Claudia now" and holding handmade signs. Bautista said further protests are planned, and videos on social media showed a small group of demonstrators had returned to the Chula Vista building Friday afternoon.
Rueda was focusing on Latin American studies at California State University, Los Angeles and has lived most of her life here.
Langarica said Rueda is eligible for protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, but had not been able to cobble together the money for her application.
"Her mom's meager wages have been funding her education," Langarica said.
If Rueda is released, she could secure DACA protections and remain here, the attorney said.
"There's a solution on the horizon," Langarica said. "It's absurd we are going through this."
The president of Cal State L.A., issued a statement saying the university was gathering information about the incident. The statement did not formally name Rueda.
"I am deeply concerned about the well-being of our student and hope to learn more soon," President William A. Covino said in a letter emailed to students, faculty and staff.
"Cal State L.A. does not support policies or efforts that seek to target our students or campus community because of immigration status, ethnicity, race, religion, LGBTQ+ status, or national origin," the letter continued.
