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DACA recipient detained at green card interview, describes harsh conditions at Otay Mesa

May 11, 2026 · San Diego, CA, Peru

DACA recipient detained at green card interview, describes harsh conditions at Otay Mesa

Milena Araya-Davis, a 27-year-old therapist and Palm Springs High School graduate, was arrested by ICE agents on December 15, 2025, outside a USCIS office in San Diego immediately after being told her green card application was approved. Araya-Davis was brought to the U.S. from Peru at age 4 and received DACA protection as a teenager, going on to earn a master's degree in marriage and family therapy. She was detained for overstaying a tourist visa from her childhood. During her seven-day detention at Otay Mesa Detention Center, Araya-Davis slept on the floor, shared a single sink with roughly 150 women, and received inadequate food and medical care, relying on other detainees for basic supplies and support. Her husband, a U.S. citizen whom she married in April 2025, was home waiting for brief phone calls during her detention. Araya-Davis has since shared her experience on social media, drawing thousands of responses from people fearing detention or worried about loved ones. San Diego County subsequently filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security and private prison operator CoreCivic after being denied inspection access to the facility.

Timeline

May 11, 2026Araya-Davis publicly described detention conditions and shared experience on social media
May 10, 2026San Diego County filed lawsuit against Department of Homeland Security and CoreCivic after being denied inspection access to Otay Mesa facility
Dec 22, 2025Released from Otay Mesa Detention Center after seven days of detention
Dec 15, 2025Milena Araya-Davis arrested by ICE agents at USCIS green card interview in San Diego immediately after being approved; detained at Otay Mesa Detention Center

Sources

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