MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — Days after an assailant’s bullet tore through two of his limbs, Felipe de Jesus Hernandez Marcelo hobbled out of the hospital on crutches.
Hernandez had nearly died in the early morning of June 21 when, police say, a troubled young man shot him during an attempted robbery in Muscatine, Iowa. Emergency response saved his life, but the shooting left the 28-year-old father wounded where a bullet traveled through his arm and leg.
Police seized the car Hernandez was driving when he was shot and the $462 cash it contained as evidence. A friend took him to the police station to ask for his belongings on June 24 — unaware it would mark the last time he enjoyed freedom in the United States.
Hernandez is among a growing number of crime victims arrested and detained pending removal proceedings amidst the immigration crackdown during the Trump administration.
In January, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) rescinded rules that had previously shielded many victims from detention. Applications for visas that allow victims and their families to stay in the country have plummeted since then, and those detained often find themselves deemed ineligible for release.
Critics argue that this policy shift harms public safety by making undocumented individuals less likely to cooperate with police. Dan Kowalski, an immigration law expert, remarked that with any contact with law enforcement, individuals risk ICE detention.
ICE did not respond for comments on the situation. Their policy references an executive order from President Trump, emphasizing strict enforcement of immigration laws.
Hernandez, originally from Mexico and undocumented, has been in custody for nearly 2.5 months since his police station visit. He was arrested on a bench warrant for an unpaid traffic ticket, which led to cooperation with ICE.
He has since faced a painful recovery, separated from his 9-year-old son, and initially denied necessary medication while in jail. Hernandez recounted his struggles in painful detail, moving the court to rule that his indefinite detention without a bond hearing was illegal.
The shooting itself occurred at 4 a.m. on June 21, with eyewitnesses calling for help as Hernandez bled from gunshot wounds. Swift police and ambulance response saved his life, but left him with overwhelming medical bills.
Following his detainment at the police station, Hernandez fell victim to an enforcement policy that targets undocumented individuals, even in instances of victimization. Now, as he awaits potential bond hearings, he pleads for the safety and well-being of his family amidst a growing wave of injustices faced by similar victims under current policies.
Hernandez had nearly died in the early morning of June 21 when, police say, a troubled young man shot him during an attempted robbery in Muscatine, Iowa. Emergency response saved his life, but the shooting left the 28-year-old father wounded where a bullet traveled through his arm and leg.
Police seized the car Hernandez was driving when he was shot and the $462 cash it contained as evidence. A friend took him to the police station to ask for his belongings on June 24 — unaware it would mark the last time he enjoyed freedom in the United States.
Hernandez is among a growing number of crime victims arrested and detained pending removal proceedings amidst the immigration crackdown during the Trump administration.
In January, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) rescinded rules that had previously shielded many victims from detention. Applications for visas that allow victims and their families to stay in the country have plummeted since then, and those detained often find themselves deemed ineligible for release.
Critics argue that this policy shift harms public safety by making undocumented individuals less likely to cooperate with police. Dan Kowalski, an immigration law expert, remarked that with any contact with law enforcement, individuals risk ICE detention.
ICE did not respond for comments on the situation. Their policy references an executive order from President Trump, emphasizing strict enforcement of immigration laws.
Hernandez, originally from Mexico and undocumented, has been in custody for nearly 2.5 months since his police station visit. He was arrested on a bench warrant for an unpaid traffic ticket, which led to cooperation with ICE.
He has since faced a painful recovery, separated from his 9-year-old son, and initially denied necessary medication while in jail. Hernandez recounted his struggles in painful detail, moving the court to rule that his indefinite detention without a bond hearing was illegal.
The shooting itself occurred at 4 a.m. on June 21, with eyewitnesses calling for help as Hernandez bled from gunshot wounds. Swift police and ambulance response saved his life, but left him with overwhelming medical bills.
Following his detainment at the police station, Hernandez fell victim to an enforcement policy that targets undocumented individuals, even in instances of victimization. Now, as he awaits potential bond hearings, he pleads for the safety and well-being of his family amidst a growing wave of injustices faced by similar victims under current policies.
