Singleton Schreiber Partners with ACLU of New Mexico to Defend Dreamers Unlawfully Detained by Federal Authorities
NEW MEXICO – Singleton Schreiber, LLP, acting as the cooperating attorneys with the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico, has filed two petitions for writs of habeas corpus this week, challenging the unlawful detention of Catalina “Xóchitl” Santiago Santiago and Paulo Cesar Gamez Lira, both 28-year-old DACA recipients who have lived nearly their entire lives in the United States. A writ of habeas corpus asks a federal court to review the legality of a person’s detention by federal immigration authorities.
Santiago, who has lived in the U.S. for 20 years and is married to a U.S. citizen, was arrested without a warrant by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the El Paso International Airport on August 3, moments before boarding a domestic flight to Dallas for a conference. A community activist, Santiago has consistently renewed her status and has no criminal record. She has been detained in West Texas for over a month.
Gamez Lira is married to a U.S. citizen and is the father of four U.S. citizen children, including a three-month-old with serious medical conditions. On August 13, after pulling into his driveway in Horizon City, Texas, with two of his children in the car, Gamez Lira was forcibly taken by seven plainclothes men, some masked and armed, who refused to identify themselves. Security footage captures his young children screaming as he was pulled from his car, resulting in a dislocated shoulder. He is currently detained at the Otero County Processing Center in Chaparral, New Mexico.
Santiago has been a leader in her community, advocating for immigrant rights and providing resources for young people and families.
"This case highlights the importance of raising legal challenges to safeguard against unlawful detention and government overreach,” said Marisa Ong, Senior Counsel with Singleton Schreiber LLP. “DACA recipients, like all individuals, are entitled to due process and protection under the Constitution. By pursuing this petition, we aim not only to secure justice for our client, Ms. Santiago, but also to send a clear message that no one is above the law, and that immigration enforcement must be carried out within the bounds of the law."
Gamez Lira has worked as a forklift operator to support his wife and children, ages three months to nine years old. Both face indefinite detention despite holding valid DACA protections that shield them from deportation.
"We are proud to represent Mr. Gamez Lira as he fights his unlawful detention. To hold a Dreamer without cause is unconstitutional and breaks the promise made to each of them. Today, we remind the government that no one, whether citizen or immigrant, should ever lose their freedom without just cause," said Alex Flores, Senior Counsel with Singleton Schreiber.
"We refuse to let the federal government get away with ripping DACA recipients away from their families," said Becca Sheff, senior staff attorney with the ACLU of New Mexico. "Paulo has worked hard to build a dignified and meaningful life in the United States. He is a committed father of U.S. citizen children, and this is the only home he has ever known. It’s unconscionable for the government to hold Paulo indefinitely in an ICE detention center known for dangerous and degrading conditions, especially since his status as a DACA recipient protects him from being deported."
Gamez Lira’s petition was filed in federal court in New Mexico and Santiago’s petition was filed in federal court in Texas. Both Santiago and Gamez Lira remain in custody while their cases are pending.
Singleton Schreiber is a client-centered law firm with expertise in mass torts, multi-district litigation, fire litigation, personal injury/wrongful death, civil rights, environmental law, insurance bad faith, tribal law, and sex abuse/trafficking. Home to the nation’s largest fire litigation practice, the firm has represented over 30,000 wildfire and explosion victims and played leading roles in high-stakes cases nationwide. The team is pursuing groundbreaking litigation against Tesla’s autopilot system, serving in leadership in national hair relaxer litigation, and advocating for survivors of abuse by major hotel chains. Its civil rights practice tackles police misconduct, excessive force, wrongful incarceration, and free speech violations, using strategic litigation to drive reform. With deep experience in complex claims, Singleton Schreiber is committed to holding corporations accountable and helping communities recover.
