UPDATE, March 12, 2018: The video on Facebook has now gotten more than 11 million views and CBP issued yet another statement.
The following two videos were published Thursday afternoon on Facebook. As of this posting (4pm ET), the videos have gotten more than 800,000 views since they were posted around 2pm ET (the views were in the millions by Thursday night). They continue to be shared and viewed. The videos show what appears to be an arrest by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) of a woman, as her children watch and cry. The videos, according to the post, were from National City, California, right next to Chula Vista in the San Diego area. One of the CBP agents appears to be undercover.
(The second video has now been deleted by Facebook.)
The two videos were accompanied by this Facebook post from Judith Castro-Rangel. According to Castro-Rangel, the woman’s name is Perla Morales.
‼Por favor compartan‼
me rompe el corazón saber que esta es la madre de una de mis estudiantes.
La brutalizad, injusticia que está pasando en este país es triste ? mi gente, esta batalla sigue y no debemos de darnos por vencidos. Estaré al tanto de el desarrollo de este caso. Por favor compartan.Sucedió en National City, (San Diego,CA) mientras ellas caminaban a ir a pagar la renta de su hogar.
Los sujetos vestidos como civiles detuvieron a Perla Morales al frente de sus tres hijas quien los Border Patrol dejaron solas después de brutalmente detener a su madre.Esto debe de tomar cambio no más separación de familias! ‼‼????
Publicado con permiso de -disclosed#undocumedia UndocuMedia Telemundo UNIVISION San Diego #sandiego #deportacion -#justicia #nomas #reformaya
Please share!
It breaks my heart to know that this is the mother of one of my students
The brutalized, injustice that is happening in this country is sad ? my people, this battle continues and we should not give up. I will be aware of the development of this case. Please share.
It Happened in National City, (San Diego, CA)
The subjects dressed as civilians detained Perla Morales at the head of her three daughters whom the Border Patrol left alone after brutally arresting their mother.
This must take change no more separation from families! ! ! ????
Published with permission from -disclosed
At 4pm ET, Latino Rebels reached out to CBP for comment about the arrest. About three-and-a-half hours after our request, we received the following statement from a CBP San Diego spokesperson at 7:23pm ET:
Perla Morales-Luna was identified as an organizer for a transnational criminal smuggling organization operating in East County, San Diego. She was arrested as a result of a targeted operation on March 3, 2018, in National City for being in the country illegally. She is currently in Border Patrol custody awaiting transfer to ICE for removal proceedings.
Minutes later, CBP San Diego tweeted out the same statement:
Perla Morales-Luna was identified as an organizer for a transnational criminal smuggling organization operating in East County, SanDiego. She was arrested as a result of a targeted operation on March 3,2018, in National City for being in the country illegally.
— CBP San Diego (@CBPSanDiego) March 9, 2018
Latino Rebels followed up with additional questions and CBP San Diego responded with these two tweets:
Sorry – we can not release as this is part of an active investigation.
— CBP San Diego (@CBPSanDiego) March 9, 2018
It is not undercover but plain clothes agents…
— CBP San Diego (@CBPSanDiego) March 9, 2018
Once the videos went viral, Castro-Rangel posted this on her Facebook profile:
Many undocumented Mothers, Fathers, and Dreamers are being detained just because they have committed the “crime” of coming into this country to provide their children with a greater opportunity.
For those asking why a mother or innocent people get arrested it’s because of that.
In America it is a crime to be a dreamer to be better and to provide their children with a future.
In California ICE is cracking on undocumented wether or not they have criminal history.
FYI: Facebook has recently been taking down these types of video because some law enforcement agencies report the videos by claiming that they put the lives of law enforcement agents in danger. (One of the videos has already been taken down.) Since we won’t be surprised if that happens, the videos are also here and here:
