A man arrested violently in an immigration-enforcement action in Santa Ana joined community leaders Friday in calling on federal authorities to reform what they say is a dysfunctional immigration system.
In a tearful statement in Spanish interpreted by his attorney, Narciso Barranco said, “To the authorities, respectfully, I ask you to please grant them bond,” referring to his former cell mates and others rounded up in a crackdown on undocumented residence since June.
“Don’t take away the chance for these families to be reunited,” Barranco said at a news conference outside the Old Orange County Courthouse in Santa Ana.
Last month, Barranco — father to three sons who served in the U.S. Marines — was arrested in Santa Ana with video of the encounter making national headlines. One of his sons said Barranco was working as a landscaper at an IHOP restaurant at Edinger Avenue and Ritchey Street when he was arrested.
Orange County Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento joined other local leaders in support of Barranco and his family.
Barranco thanked the community for the “immense support for my family,” and the “elected officials who stood by my family.”
He also thanked Diocese of Orange Bishop Kevin Vann, Father Greg Walgenbach and others for “praying with my family when I couldn’t.”
Barranco also thanked several cell mates, pointing out one who has a 4-year-old daughter and another with a son with a disability who needs his father.
“I want to say to their families that they all miss you deeply and even in a place like that hope is still alive,” he said.
Ramirez detailed her struggles winning release on bond for her client.
“He is a gentle man,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez said there has been “institutional erosion” of Constitutional rights to due process and probable cause for arrests. She said that Barranco’s family was fortunate they were able to get him out of custody because many others “will have no opportunity to bond” out.
“He had access to lawyers. He was able to pay bond,” she said.
It took eight days to just recognize her as Barranco’s attorney, she said. When that happened, “Thankfully, the judge promptly scheduled a bond hearing two days later,” she said.
It still took 24 hours and several calls to the judge to get Barranco released when he was granted bond, she said.
“Our system is broken,” she said. “This is not an immigration problem. It is a problem for U.S. citizens.”
Ramirez noted that her client has three sons who are U.S. citizens who served as Marines “with pride. They enlisted to serve their country. Our community deserves better. America deserves better.”
For someone who had never even gotten a ticket before, the arrest was “pretty traumatic,” Ramirez told reporters.
While he was locked up in Adelanto, in San Bernardino County, “He had no idea his story became national news,” Ramirez said.
Barranco was hospitalized in Los Angeles, but she said she has not received those medical records yet. When she asked for medical help for her client while he was in Adelanto, those requests were ignored, she said.
She said other detainees reported the “food is horrible.” They also said there was a sewage leak that the detainees had to endure from morning until 8 that night, she said.
Barranco’s case has been sent to an immigration court in Santa Ana now with the next hearing set for Aug. 15. She is pursuing parole for her client, along with permanent residency. After that, Barranco, whose wife Martha is a U.S. citizen, will apply for U.S. citizenship.
The family tried to apply for citizenship for Barranco but an attorney they met with sent them “blank documents,” which they said spooked them, so they didn’t seek help elsewhere, Ramirez said, who said there are some unscrupulous notaries.