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Carlos R.: Washington man held a week by ICE despite his U.S. passport

Carlos Rios, a naturalized citizen and welder who carried his passport for international jobs, was held a week by ICE after a drunken-driving arrest, later winning a $125,000 settlement.

Jan 27, 2025Pierce County, WACountry of origin: Mexico

Carlos R.: Washington man held a week by ICE despite his U.S. passport
Photo via ProPublica

Carlos Rios, who immigrated from Mexico in the 1980s and became a U.S. citizen in 2000, was arrested by Pierce County, Washington sheriff's deputies in 2019 on suspicion of drunken driving. Despite carrying his U.S. passport and repeatedly telling deputies and ICE officers he was a citizen, he was held in detention for a week. Rios later received a $125,000 settlement but said he still remembers every moment of his detention.

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