Apr 19, 2026·Los Angeles, CA·Mexico
Gilberto García (also known as Gilberto Garcia Cruz), a 26-year-old DACA recipient with autism and an intellectual disability, was forcibly detained by ICE agents at his home in Hendry County, Florida on April 8, 2026, while his DACA renewal was still being processed after his status expired on April 1. According to family accounts and police reports, agents entered his yard without a warrant and placed him in a chokehold, leaving marks on his arms; when his mother tried to intervene, agents allegedly threatened to tase her and pushed her back. García was transported to Hendry County Jail and charged with resisting arrest without violence, though his public defender argued his disability prevented him from understanding or identifying law enforcement. He was released on April 10, 2026, following family intervention and advocacy from the Florida Immigrant Coalition and United We Dream, who called the detention "deeply troubling and potentially unlawful." After his release, García expressed fear about possible deportation and separation from his mother, and the family has since faced housing instability.