Immigration Arrests

In this Feb. 9, 2017, photo provided U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents approach a home in Atlanta during an enforcement operation aimed at immigration fugitives, re-entrants and at-large criminal aliens.

(U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement )

UPDATE: Portland 'Dreamer' released from jail on bond, ACLU says

An undocumented Portland man granted a deportation reprieve in 2014 was arrested by federal immigration agents early Sunday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon said.

Francisco J. Rodriguez Dominguez was arrested by Immigrations and Custom Enforcement agents at his Southeast Portland home, the group said.

The arrest would make him one of a handful of reported immigrants recently arrested despite their participation in the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, which has not been revoked by President Donald Trump's administration.

The deferred action program was created under the Obama administration to allow some undocumented immigrants brought into the country as children to receive renewable two-year deportation deferments. Recipients, often referred to as "Dreamers" can also receive employment authorizations.

Rodriguez Dominguez, 25, had been charged last year with a misdemeanor driving under the influence of intoxicants, the groups said, and a criminal conviction could make him ineligible for the deferral.

But Rodriguez Dominguez had entered a diversion program. Completing a program would have preserved Rodriguez Dominguez's eligibility under the deferred action policy, said Mat dos Santos, an attorney for the ACLU of Oregon.

"This is a person who has been released by a judge on his own recognizance," he said. "He posed no risk to the community, and he wasn't a flight risk."

Immigrations and Custom Enforcement officials declined to comment on Sunday. A spokeswoman Rose Richeson said in an email that an agency statement is being vetted "for privacy reasons" and probably won't be released until Monday.

The agency's online locator search tool showed that Rodriguez Dominguez was being held in its Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma.

Immigration authorities in Seattle earlier this year detained 23-year-old Daniel Ramirez Medina, who had twice received deferred action status. Ramirez was believed to be the first DACA recipient detained in the Trump administration, which has taken a hard stance on illegal immigration.

Another participant in the deferred action program, 22-year-old Daniela Vargas of Mississippi, was arrested moments after speaking with reporters about immigration policies and her family's immigration status. Her deferral status had lapsed, but she had recently applied for a renewal. She was released, but a deportation order remained in effect, her attorneys told the Los Angeles Times.

ICE officials said Ramirez was a member of a gang, which Ramirez denied. His attorneys are challenging the detention.

Rodriguez Dominguez was brought to the United States at age 5 from Mexico. He attended Reynolds High School and studied information technology at Mt. Hood Community College, the ACLU said.

He worked at Latino Network, where he coordinated a food pantry for low-income families. The organization on Sunday asked supporters to call immigration authorities and demand that Rodriguez Dominguez be released.

He also coaches a soccer team at Glenfair Elementary and volunteers at his church, Holy Cross Episcopal Church, at which is he a member, the ACLU said.

Reporter Lynne Terry contributed to this report.

-- Elliot Njus

enjus@oregonian.com

503-294-5034

@enjus