Jackie is free!
Thanks to the thousands of people who stood with her and her family,
ICE released Jackie on October 27, 2025. She is now home with her children.
Jackie Merlos
and the Fight
for Human
Rights
Hear a message from Jackie.
We don't rip families apart in America.
IN THE NEWS
Portland mother freed, reunited with children after four months in immigration detention
OPB
‘Inexplicable’: Oregon lawmakers press ICE to release Portland woman from custody after case cleared
KOIN
‘Are Mom and Dad not coming home?’: American kids left stranded when ICE takes their parents
CNN
Mass Deportation Is Leaving American Children Without Their Parents
AMERICA'S VOICE
‘I’m so traumatized’: Honduran woman, 71, released but Portland daughter remains held
THE OREGONIAN
Immigration officials release Portland children detained near border
OPB
‘Authoritarian abuses’: Oregon family with 4 kids detained for nearly 2 weeks by feds, U.S. Rep says
THE OREGONIAN
Four U.S. citizen children detained in WA, Oregon lawmaker says
THE SEATTLE TIMES
Portland mother, 4 children detained at Ferndale Customs and Border Protection station for days
CASCADIA DAILY NEWS
'We cannot look away': Oregon congresswoman says mom, 4 children have been held in federal custody for nearly 2 weeks
KGW8
Oregon mom and four kids held for weeks after being 'wrongfully detained' while visiting Canadian border
Daily Mail
Congresswoman tracks down U.S. citizen children detained at Ferndale facility
THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
The Family
Days Detained:
Timeline
← Scroll →
June 28th, 2025
The Merlos family travels
to Peace Arch Park in Canada
to visit Jackie's sister,
a Canadian resident.
June 28th, 2025
Jackie, her 72 year old
mother and 4 children are
detained by CPB agents.
"I've never seen
a mother and
children arrested
for possible
'alien smuggling'
at the Park before."
- Len Saunders
Immigration Lawyer
June 29th, 2025
Jackie’s 72 yr old mother
is sent to Tacoma detention
while holding a
valid travel visa.
July 3rd, 2025
Carlos taken by ICE
when he exits his home
on Thursday morning.
July 10th, 2025
The Family has been missing for 12 days.
July 11th, 2025
Government takes (4)
US Citizen Children
to Seattle to expedite
new passports to deport
them to Honduras.
July 13th, 2025
Community is
speaking out.
July 14th, 2025
Judge grants
emergency TRO
preventing CBP from
removing the family.
Read the Press Release
July 14th, 2025
Children are picked up
from Seatac airport,
just before being
put on a flight.
July 16th, 2025
Jackie is finally
able to see
her attorney.
July 18th, 2025
Jackie's bond
request is denied, yet
no charges have been
filed by CBP.
July 19th, 2025
The children see
their mom, dad
and grandmother
through the glass.
July 30th, 2025
Juana’s bond request was denied because she’s apparently a “flight risk”… to return to the very country she was already scheduled to fly back to! Yes, you read that right. She missed her return flight to Honduras on July 22nd because she was in detention to be sent to Honduras. She hasn’t been charged with a single crime—was here on a travel visa from the U.S. and came through U.S. customs in May. Now she’ll be held in detention so the U.S. government can take their sweet time organizing the paperwork to… you guessed it… send her to Honduras. Bureaucracy, meet irony.
July 30th, 2025
Jackie has another hearing to schedule another hearing. Again, no charges and will wait for the next event on September 7th – 2 ½ months after being detained.
July 30th, 2025
Carlos is still in detention
August 4th, 2025
There are 7 active cases of Tuberculosis in Tacoma’s detention center.
September 2nd, 2025
The Merlos children start a new year of school without their parents.
September 3rd, 2025
Jackie has a new hearing, to set a date for her NEXT hearing.
The Merlos children make an advent chain to count down the days until their mom's next hearing.
Peace Arch Park
Jackie's Journal
Title
The Facts
70.3% of detainees DO NOT have criminal records.
- TRAC Reports, Inc., data current as of August 24, 2025.
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Get Involved
Here are 5 ways to show your support for the Merlos Family:
1. Share this post on social media, on your website, or text your friends.
2. Write a letter to your Congressional Representative.
Click For Link
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3. Donate to our go fund me campaign
4. Make a Poster or Send a Note For Jackie And The Family
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Know your Rights
Who Can Question You
If ICE Visits @ Home
Conozca Sus Derechos
¿Quién puede interrogarte?
Si ICE Se Presenta En Su Casa
Taking Action
Leadership that Shows Up
She didn’t wait. She acted
“Trump said he would go after the worst of the worst, but what his immigration machine is doing instead is abducting Oregonians without cause.”
The children “should be spending their summer riding bikes, going to the pool, going to camp and enjoying their childhood,” Dexter said. “Instead, they have spent almost two weeks locked in a detention facility, cut off from the outside world, access to legal counsel, and disappeared by their own government.”
“We can not look away. We can not back down.”
A Voice for Love
"They've built a business, supported neighbors through their church. and helped struggleing familes access childcare, resources,and hope. -Zoe.
"Jackie is a person of integrity and compassion. She leads by example, showing strength, humility, and a deep commitment to her family and community". -Amon
"I would trust them with the welfare of my own children or business interests and I ever needed their help they would not only be willing to help – but eager". -Chip
She has worked tirelessly, always putting others before herself, and has made a lasting positive impact on the lives of everyone around her. -Dennis
