This family of five was torn apart by ICE raids: ‘Why did they take my dad away?’
Summary
José Padilla, a father of four living in Watts, California, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in January 2026 during a raid on car wash workers. His family has faced financial difficulties and emotional challenges, including mental health issues in the children, due to his absence. Experts say such family separations caused by immigration raids affect children’s development and can lead to serious psychological problems.Key Facts
- José Padilla was detained by ICE while working as a car washer in Los Angeles on January 27, 2026.
- He is one of more than 1,400 people detained in the LA area that month and was among hundreds of car wash workers targeted since June 2025.
- Padilla has lived in the U.S. for over 20 years and is the main financial and emotional support for his family.
- His wife, Alma Ramirez, and their four children are struggling with the effects of his detention, including economic hardship and emotional stress.
- Two of the children, including a son with autism, experienced difficulties at school and began therapy due to the trauma.
- A University of California, Riverside report describes immigration raids causing a "public health emergency" for millions of children separated from caregivers.
- Experts warn that separating a child from their parent can deeply impact the child’s mental health and development.
- The family’s day-to-day life and routines have been heavily disrupted by Padilla’s absence.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
