Boyle Heights immigrants' rights advocate detained by border patrol

BOYLE HEIGHTS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A 22-year-old college student was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection less than a month after her mother was taken into custody.

Claudia Rueda was taken into custody while moving her family's car during a street sweep on Thursday, according to the Los Angeles Immigrant Youth Coalition, a group Rueda is active within.

Her mother, Teresa Vidal-Jaime, was just released after being cleared of involvement in a drug bust.

Jaime was detained by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department after they conducted a drug raid at the Boyle Heights complex where she lives.

Deputies later said Jaime had no involvement with the drugs, but ICE detained her due to her immigration status.

Rueda rallied on her behalf and Jaime was released on bond after being held for several weeks.

The Los Angeles Immigrant Youth Coalition said Rueda has lived in the U.S. since 2001 and attends California State, Los Angeles, where she is majoring in Latin America studies.

Cal State LA released the following statement regarding Rueda's detainment.

The Los Angeles Immigrant Youth Coalition said Rueda qualifies for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, and is urging the border patrol to release her from their Chula Vista offices so she may file her DACA application.

The border patrol said a press release that seven people were detained in Los Angeles on Thursday as part of a "cross-border narcotics smuggling organization." Rueda was arrested for residing in the country illegally and violating the terms of her visa, according to the border patrol.

Rueda's supporters called the move "retaliation" by border agents. Now, immigrant advocates fear a chilling effect on their ability to speak out.

"What bothers me about that is that people can't be safe in their home and their neighborhoods, if this is going to be happening," said Luis Serrano of the California Immigration Youth Justice.

The Border Patrol links Rueda's father and others to the drugs, saying, "These targeted arrests should send a stern message to anyone linked to transnational smuggling."

But there is no criminal allegation against Rueda. Her defenders say that while she was in the U.S. illegally, she had hoped to apply for protection under DACA.

they maintain it was her high profile activism that made her a target.