Mercedes Pineda said having Temporary Protected Status and no criminal record didn’t stop federal agents from detaining her husband, Jose, at work. 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.
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.
https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2025/06/02/east-boston-family-ice-tps