A family trip to Peace Arch State Park in Washington state turned into an immigration crisis when Kenia Jackeline Merlos and her four American-born children — 9-year-old triplets and a 7-year-old son — were detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on June 28.
More than two weeks later, they remain held in federal custody, sparking outrage among immigration advocates, lawmakers, and community members.
Arrested Without Charges
Merlos, originally from Honduras, was visiting her sister — a legal Canadian resident — at the park, which straddles the U.S.-Canada border. The family says the arrest occurred after her sister briefly stepped across the boundary to say goodbye. That moment allegedly triggered CBP’s accusation that Merlos was “attempting to smuggle illegal aliens.”
She and the children were taken into custody, and while Merlos requested that her kids stay with her during detention, they have since been held in a windowless holding cell near Ferndale, Washington, with no formal charges filed, according to her attorney Jill Nedved.
Merlos’ mother, who was also with them, was detained, though her location remains unknown. Her husband, Carlos, was detained days later outside their Portland home and is being held at an ICE facility in Tacoma, Washington.
‘U.S. Citizens Treated as Threats’
Democratic Rep. Maxine Dexter visited the facility and confirmed seeing the family inside but was not allowed to speak to them. In a scathing statement, she said:
“This is what authoritarianism looks like. Citizen children abducted. Community members disappeared. If we allow this to become normal, we surrender who we are.”
Dexter blasted CBP for misleading her office and violating CBP’s own policy, which prohibits holding individuals for longer than 72 hours.
No Legal Representation, No Due Process
The family’s lack of access to legal counsel and prolonged detention has alarmed human rights groups and immigration advocates. Mimi Lettunich, a close family friend and godparent to one of the children, said Merlos managed to send her a brief text:
“Mimi, I’ve been detained.”
“She and her husband are kind, hardworking small business owners,” Dexter added. “The kind of people we are proud to call ours.”
Immigration Enforcement Crackdown Under Trump
The Merlos family’s ordeal highlights the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown, which has:
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Approved tens of billions of dollars to expand detention centers.
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Deployed federal law enforcement nationwide for immigration operations.
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Increased daily immigration arrest quotas to 3,000 per day, according to activists.
Nearly 60,000 individuals are currently being held in immigration detention centers across the country.
Community Calls for Immediate Release
Supporters are demanding the family’s immediate release and calling for accountability.
“This isn’t law enforcement — it’s cruelty,” said one immigration advocate. “This family did everything right. They followed the rules. And now their children are being punished.”
Rep. Dexter vowed to continue pressuring federal officials and called on Americans to stay vigilant:
“We cannot look away. We cannot back down.”
The Merlos family remains in detention as legal and public pressure mounts on the Trump administration to explain their continued imprisonment — and release them.
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