Man with 10 by 12 in. tumor escapes ICE detention in S.F. - for now

"The Colombian asylum-seeker spoke to Judge Joseph Y. Park in Spanish through an interpreter: "I have a tumor that is 10 inches by 12 inches on my chest," he said in San Francisco's immigration court today. On the bench, where he sat, a folder of medical documents laid open with a Medi-Cal card peeking out from his wallet. "I need to stay here to continue my treatment," he pleaded."

"Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers had already arrested five individuals at 630 Sansome St. on Friday morning. All those arrested - one Indian man, a Chinese woman and three Colombians - were asylum-seekers who attended court without lawyers. Judge Park empathized with the Colombian man's situation, saying "I lament your situation." But the Department of Homeland Security attorney moved to dismiss his case, indicating that ICE would likely arrest him immediately upon exiting the courtroom."

"He stayed in the courtroom for about 45 minutes as others pleaded their cases. At the end of the hearing, the pro-bono "attorney of the day" spoke to the Colombian man as everyone else exited. The two later walked down the hallway to the elevator, seemingly free, without ICE accompaniment. He was, for now, one of the lucky ones. Of the 18 people who went before Judge Y. Park on Friday, five were arrested by ICE for transport to a detention center."

At a San Francisco immigration court, multiple unrepresented asylum-seekers faced proceedings while Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted arrests. A Colombian man with a large chest tumor and visible chemotherapy side effects pleaded to remain for medical treatment and presented Medi-Cal documentation. DHS attorneys moved to dismiss several cases, signaling imminent ICE arrests upon exit. Five of 18 individuals appearing before the judge were taken into custody and transported to a detention center. Detainees included people from India, China and Colombia and vulnerable individuals such as a young mother with three children. DHS followed a pattern of requesting dismissals and arresting asylum-seekers regardless of judicial outcomes.

Read at Mission Local