José Padilla, a 41-year-old car wash worker who had lived in the U.S. for over 20 years, was detained by ICE on January 27, 2026 while working in Los Angeles, one of over 1,400 people detained in the LA area that month. He was held in a downtown LA facility before being transferred to Adelanto and then to the California City Detention Facility in Kern County, three hours from his Watts home. His wife, Alma Ramirez, and their children — 17-year-old Alex, who has autism and relied on his father for daily care including bathing, homework help and school meetings, seven-year-old José Jr., and two-year-old Joaquin — struggled emotionally and financially in his absence, with two children starting therapy. Padilla took a job in the detention center kitchen to send money home and avoid burdening his family. On August 4, 2026, after six months in custody, Padilla was released with help from the Immigrant Defenders Law Center and reunited with his family at Union Station in Los Angeles; he continues to fight his immigration case, and the family has kept a GoFundMe open to cover legal fees.