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Jeanette Vizguerra, Prominent Immigration Activist, Detained by ICE
A recent report from TIME magazine has highlighted the arrest of Jeanette Vizguerra, a notable immigration reform advocate and former illegal immigrant, who gained recognition as part of its 2017 TIME100 list. Vizguerra crossed into the United States on Christmas Eve in 1997 and has since played a significant role in immigration advocacy.
On Monday, Vizguerra was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a Target store in the Denver area, where she was employed.
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Jeanette Vizguerra, who sought refuge in the First Baptist Church of Denver to evade deportation, became well-known for her efforts in advocating for immigrant rights. In May 2017, she was photographed holding her son Santiago while in sanctuary at the church.
This method of seeking refuge in religious institutions was backed by a policy established during former President Biden’s administration, allowing undocumented immigrants temporary safety in places like churches and schools. However, this policy was rescinded by the Trump administration in January 2025.
According to TIME’s report, Vizguerra was previously featured in a profile written by actress America Ferrera, who praised her commitment to advocacy despite the risks involved for an undocumented immigrant. Ferrera noted, “Jeanette moved to the U.S. to be a janitor, working as an outspoken union organizer and building her own company before becoming an advocate for immigration reform—a bold and risky thing for an undocumented immigrant.” She emphasized that immigrants like Vizguerra seek a better life, stating, “This is not a crime. This is the American Dream.”
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Additional aspects of Vizguerra’s history include a 2009 incident where she was stopped by police and charged with driving without a license. However, these charges were later dismissed. In 2012, she self-deported to Mexico but re-entered the U.S. illegally and was apprehended again in 2013 by Border Patrol.
In a response to Vizguerra’s recent detention, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston described her as “a mom of American citizens, a Target employee, a nonprofit leader and an immigration reform advocate with no violent criminal history.” He criticized the administration at the time for what he termed “Putin-style persecution of political dissidents.”
As of now, Fox News Digital has made attempts to contact ICE, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, and Vizguerra’s attorney for comments regarding her detention but has yet to receive responses.
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