Teen US Citizen Detained by ICE During Oregon School Lunch

A high school senior in Oregon, a U.S. citizen, was reportedly apprehended by federal immigration agents during his lunch break last Friday, an incident confirmed by his family. Christian Jimenez, 17, a senior at McMinnville High School, was operating his father’s car off-campus around 12:30 p.m. when officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) initiated a stop, according to his older brother, Cesar Jimenez, who spoke with Oregon Live.

The encounter quickly escalated. Even after Jimenez asserted his American citizenship to the agents, one officer allegedly shattered the driver’s side window before taking him into custody. A video clip provided to Oregon Live by Cesar Jimenez reportedly captures Christian reiterating his citizenship status, met by an officer’s directives of “get out of the car” and “I don’t care.”

Detention and Release

Christian Jimenez was subsequently transported to the ICE processing center located in south Portland. He was released later that evening, just prior to 7 p.m., his brother confirmed. Furthermore, Cesar Jimenez indicated that officials are now seeking to press charges against Christian for “interference or obstruction of investigation.” The family has not yet commented on whether these potential charges are related to the alleged filming of officers or other actions during the detention.

School District Responds

Kourtney Ferrua, Superintendent of McMinnville High School, issued a communication to district families regarding the incident. She verified that the student, who had left campus for lunch, was indeed apprehended by immigration authorities. However, Ferrua noted that he was later confirmed as a U.S. citizen and successfully reunited with his relatives.

Superintendent Ferrua underscored the district’s policy against unauthorized individuals entering school premises during operational hours and clarified that students are only released to pre-approved adults. “The experience of an emotional event such as this one can have an impact on all of our students,” Ferrua stated in her message. She concluded by reiterating the district’s commitment: “Our goal is to keep our schools running as a safe and predictable routine, which is in the best interests of all of our students.”

Broader Context of ICE Citizen Detention

This incident is not isolated. An immigrant advocacy group informed Oregon Live that ICE agents had detained four U.S. citizens in the vicinity of Portland during the same week. This figure reportedly includes Jimenez and two individuals who were allegedly filming officers during their operations. Miriam Vargas Corona, the executive director of Unidos Bridging Community, provided a slightly different figure to KGW, reporting that a total of six individuals had been taken into custody by ICE.

The detention of U.S. citizens by immigration authorities, particularly near school zones, raises significant questions about jurisdiction, protocol, and civil liberties. Advocacy groups often highlight such cases as evidence of overreach, while federal agencies typically assert their authority to conduct enforcement operations as necessary. The potential charges against Jimenez for obstruction further complicate the narrative, drawing attention to the rights of individuals during interactions with law enforcement.

Source: The Guardian