A Dallas community leader and advocate is being held in ICE custody at a detention facility near Abilene following a traffic encounter.
On August 29, Omar Salazar was apprehended by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement following a traffic stop while visiting his girlfriend in Lubbock. Friends, like Flaka Martinez, are speaking out in favor of Omar Salazar.
Friends regard Omar Salazar as a cornerstone of the community, human rights advocate.
“We have a void right now,” Martinez explained. “This man has been dedicated to community leadership and technology in general, and bringing it all together for human rights.
Martinez described Omar Salazar as a pillar of the neighborhood. She stated that the 28-year-old works in the AI business, is an SMU graduate, a former high school valedictorian, and an advocate. Martinez said he’s assisted various metroplex non-profits over the years.
“I was honestly very surprised that anything had occurred to where he was in the situation that he’s in,” she told me.
Details about the traffic stop and ICE arrest in Lubbock.
A Lubbock police official stated that Omar Salazar did not use “a ramp properly to enter the loop” and changed “lanes unsafely.” They stated that when he was pulled over, he “presented a Mexican ID” and did not have a valid license.
Soon after, ICE was contacted, and he was apprehended.
Legal Perspective: Salazar’s Immigration Status and Case
According to Veronica Franco Salazar, Omar Salazar’s immigration attorney at Monty & Ramirez LLP in Houston, he was brought to the United States unlawfully as a youngster and was ineligible for DACA because he missed the eligibility window by only a few months.
“This is an individual with no criminal past. He’s been here for over 18 years now. You know, some circumstances necessitate some specific considerations,” explained Franco Salazar. “The war has not ended. Omar has also been quite keen to fight his case.
ICE reacts.
CBS News Texas contacted ICE about Omar Salazar’s case, and a representative stated, “ICE officers will not wait for immigration violators to commit a crime before detaining them.” We will capture and expel those who break immigration laws.
Denise Gilman, a professor at the University of Texas School of Law who is not involved in the lawsuit, commented on the matter.
“I think we should all be very, very troubled when we see that,” she remarked. “That should serve as a clear warning to all of us, and numerous courts have ruled that many of these detentions are illegal. So the fact that it is happening does not imply that it is legitimate or immoral and acceptable.”
Martinez said they will continue to organize until Omar Salazar is released.
“We want to make sure to keep his spirits up,” Martinez explained. “[We want] his freedom and the right to be able to exist freely as the powerhouse that he is in this country.”
