Story perspectives

ICE Deportation Splits Mother, Child; Lawmaker Demands End.

5/21/2026

Summary

Jayapal Criticizes ICE

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported Wendy Hernandez Reyes on January 26, 2026, separating her from her son, Orlin Josué Hernandez Reyes, and arrested a man accused of killing boy on March 5, 2026, after the child died in hospital.
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, referencing ICE director Todd M. Lyons’ claim the mother left her child with an uncle, called the case horrific and urged an end to ICE’s campaign against women on May 20, 2026.

Summary

ICE Faces Lawsuits

Politico logged 11,600 ICE lawsuits from July 2025 to January 2026, with judges rejecting the government in 90 percent of cases.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed raising the in-absentia removal fine from $5,130 to $18,000, opening a 30-day comment period on May 20, 2026.
In-absentia removal orders climbed from 62,500 in 2022 to about 309,700 in 2025.
Federal courts ordered the Trump administration to return five wrongfully removed individuals since January 2025, which the government complied with.

History

Historical Context

Bill Clinton signed the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act in 1996, activating mandatory detention and expedited removal on April 1 1997. ICE’s custody grew from about 8,500 detainees in 1996 to over 30,000 by 2008, and the agency’s removal powers were upheld by the Supreme Court in 2020. These foundations shape today’s intensified deportation actions.

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Jayapal Criticizes ICE

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported Wendy Hernandez Reyes on January 26, 2026, separating her from her son, Orlin Josué Hernandez Reyes, and arrested a man accused of killing boy on March 5, 2026, after the child died in hospital.
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, referencing ICE director Todd M. Lyons’ claim the mother left her child with an uncle, called the case horrific and urged an end to ICE’s campaign against women on May 20, 2026.

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