ICE arrests mother and daughter after surviving vehicular accident

ICE arrested an Ecuadorian mother and daughter in the emergency room of a Florida hospital after surviving a crash. Grace Calero, 39, and her daughter Giulianna Carriel, 19, were receiving medical care when ICE agents intervened at the location.

The vehicle they were traveling in was struck by another car that lost control, rolling several times on the road. The case sparked strong community backlash after revealing the detention of traffic accident victims within medical facilities traditionally considered sensitive locations.

How did the arrest occur inside the Florida medical center?

Following the impact, both women were urgently transported by ambulance to the HCA Florida Poinciana medical center, near Kissimmee. Doctors diagnosed cervical injuries in the mother, while the young woman presented with a severe anxiety attack.

During the accident investigation report, local police officers verified the identity of those affected and notified the Immigration Service (ICE). Despite the patients remaining under medical observation and with intravenous fluids, federal officers proceeded to handcuff them in front of clinical staff.

A video circulated on social media captured the moment mother and daughter were escorted to official patrol cars. Family members told Primicias de Ecuador that Grace holds a work permit and has an active asylum process. They also affirmed that her daughter Giulianna maintains a visitor visa with extended legal validity in the United States.

Why did authorities detain people with pending asylum?

Under federal law, having an asylum receipt or work permit does not confer a definitive legal permanent status. When local police maintain cooperation agreements with ICE, any traffic report triggers automatic queries in federal databases. If the system registers a prior immigration detention order, officers can request immediate custody of the foreigners involved.

Gia Calero, aunt and sister of those detained, recounted that they fled Ecuador after being targeted by extortion and criminal threats. Mother and daughter are currently held in a temporary detention center in Florida awaiting an immigration hearing. The family reported that the arrest interrupted medical treatment and worsened the emotional condition of both convalescing patients.

What guidelines govern ICE arrests in hospitals?

Traditionally, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) policies classified hospitals, schools, and churches as protected locations from detention. Under federal regulations, agents must avoid operations in medical rooms unless imminent threats to national public security exist. However, civil rights advocates report that federal agencies have intensified routine detentions