Thread by @mjs_DC

ICE arrested a dreamer, revoked his DACA status, placed him in detention, and attempted to deport him, claiming he was a gang member. A federal judge just ruled that ICE was lying—brazenly, intentionally, repeatedly, and illegally. slate.com/news-and-polit… @Slate

When the dreamer, Daniel Ramirez Medina, told ICE that he had DACA status, an agent responded: “It doesn’t matter, because you weren’t born in this country.” ICE then confiscated his DACA work permit and locked him in detention far from his family.

ICE agents tried to extract a false confession from Ramirez, demanding that he "admit" he was in a gang. When he refused, ICE pointed to his tattoo, which said "La Paz—BCS," his birthplace in Baja California Sur.

That, ICE said, proves you're “definitely a gang member.”

Ramirez underwent two background checks to obtain and renew his DACA status. Neither turned up any indication of gang activity. To the contrary, Ramirez moved from CA to WA to *avoid* gangs.

Doesn't matter, ICE said. We're still going to deport you for being "gang-affiliated."

Two different immigration judges found no evidence that Ramirez was gang-affiliated. Three renowned experts on gangs testified that Ramirez's tattoo did not indicate, in any capacity, that he was gang-affiliated.

ICE: Doesn't matter. We're still going to deport you.

A judge tore into ICE for lying, ordering the government to restore Ramirez's DACA status and barring it from claiming that he was "gang-affiliated." He slammed ICE's case as

•“completely contradictory"
•based on "no evidence"
•"most troubling"
•"arbitrary and capricious"

The judge, a Bush appointee, also found that ICE had egregiously violated Ramirez's right to due process.

When Homan praises officers who "defend this nation," he's talking about people like this—ICE agents who set up innocent people and lie in court.

slate.com/news-and-polit…