BALTIMORE — A mother who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents alongside her husband in front of a Baltimore City school must now be released from custody, according to court records.
Judge Matthew J. Maddox ordered the immediate release of Adriana Gavilan Sanchez, who had been in custody at the Caroline Detention Facility in Bowling Green, Virginia, since her arrest on June 12 in front of Commodore John Rodgers Elementary/Middle School.
She was ordered to be released by 5 p.m. Wednesday after being granted her petition for a Writ of Habeas Corpus, according to court documents.
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ICE says the arrest stemmed from Jesus "refusing lawful commands, violently resisting arrest, and using his vehicle to evade law enforcement."
According to ICE, Jesus then fled to the vicinity of the school before officers took him into custody.
Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said ICE leadership coordinated with school officials and the Governor's Office to ensure the situation was resolved safely. However, city school officials told WMAR-2 News there was no coordination.
"Based on the video we have reviewed and firsthand accounts from staff and families, we have questions about ICE's characterization of events. Significantly, Baltimore City Public Schools did not coordinate with ICE during Thursday's incident at Commodore John Rodgers Elementary/Middle School," said Sherry Christian, City Schools spokesperson.
Assistant Secretary Bis also said this was not Jesus' first encounter with ICE agents.
"During a previous ICE encounter in April, he caused a collision with an ICE vehicle before fleeing the scene," she said.
ICE says Adriana, a native of Mexico, punched officers and faces federal charges for assaulting a federal officer.
Lawyers representing both Adriana and Jesus deny those claims, stating the entire incident began after the family was approached by an individual dressed entirely in black following a morning trip to Dunkin' Donuts.
They say Jesus feared for his and his family's lives after the armed individual pointed a firearm at him before smashing his window. Jesus tried to escape, but a second vehicle struck the car from behind, prompting him to maneuver around the median and drive toward Commodore John Rodgers Elementary/Middle School to seek safety.
As the family approached the school, they saw police lights, which led Jesus to believe the armed individuals might be federal agents rather than unknown attackers, according to the lawyers.
After stopping the vehicle, agents approached, shattered the remaining glass, and forcibly removed Jesus from the car.
The law firm says Jesus was tackled to the ground and taken into custody, suffering multiple injuries to his legs and face.
Lawyers claim an agent told Adriana to "Put your hands behind your back so we don't do to you what we're doing to your husband—or worse."
ICE says the parents were allowed to contact a relative, and the children were taken to their aunt.
Jesus remains in ICE custody at Farmville Detention Facility in Virginia.
