East Boston family details ICE arrest of TPS recipient

Mercedes Pineda said having Temporary Protected Status and no criminal record didn't stop federal agents from detaining her husband, Jose, at work.
The big picture: Pineda, who spoke at a panel organized by U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley in East Boston, said hers is far from the only family to get torn apart by the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.
What's happening: Pineda's husband, a TPS recipient from El Salvador, was released after two days, but she said the family is still grappling with the aftermath.
Neither of them is sleeping well. Jose's doctor warned he's one traumatic event away from a deadly stroke.
Their 12-year-old daughter is suffering from anxiety attacks. (As Pineda spoke, Pressley sat behind her and comforted her daughter.)
Pineda later told Axios she learned he was detained through videos that circulated, but couldn't confirm it until he managed to call hours later.
They still don't know why he was held and say he has no criminal record. Protections for Salvadoran TPS recipients last until Sept. 9, 2026, per U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
What they're saying: " We are honest people. We came to this country to work, to help our families move forward," Pineda said in a Spanish-language interview.
"They shouldn't be treating us like criminals, because we're not."
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which typically does not respond to inquiries about individual cases, didn't respond to a request from Axios concerning Pineda's husband's case.
What's next: Pressley asked Pineda what help her family could use.
In the meantime, Pineda tells Axios she's leaning on her church and on God, whom she thanks for connecting her to Centro Presente and getting Jose released.

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