Woman detained at supermarket job despite court supervision, lawyer uses habeas corpus to free her
Jan 27, 2025·Location: Escondido, CA

Angela Mata Mendoza, a 10-year employee at an Escondido supermarket married to a U.S. citizen with four U.S. citizen children, was arrested by ICE on January 27, 2025, during her early morning shift and detained at Otay Mesa Detention Center. She was under a court order of supervision (similar to bond) and had never missed a mandatory ICE check-in. Her lawyer, Kerry Yianilos, used habeas corpus protections to challenge her unlawful detention and secure her release, highlighting the importance of these constitutional protections amid the Trump administration's consideration of eliminating them for undocumented immigrants.
Sources
- Attorney Arinda Brooks: Skill and Compassion
- My Family Member Was Detained by ICE in Massachusetts. What Can I DO?
brookslawfirm.com·Jan 18, 2026·archived copy
- Arinda Brooks on Legal Reach
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- Detained by ICE in TX | Immigration Detention Help
- 247immigration.legalsoftsolution.com
- What to Do If You're Detained Despite Having an Approved Immigration Petition
newhorizonslegal.com·May 3, 2026·archived copy
- Family ordeal highlights importance of habeas corpus in immigration cases
KPBS·May 27, 2025·archived copy
- Lawyers warn clients of increased arrest risk at immigration check-ins
WEKU·Apr 24, 2025·archived copy
- Why are Immigrants Being Detained at USCIS Green Card Interviews?
immigrationlawyerblog.com·Jun 30, 2025·archived copy
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