By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Jemmy Jimenez Rosa, a Canton mother and legal U.S. resident, was released on Wednesday after being detained at Logan Airport. She was held for several days after being detained while returning from a family vacation, and was transported to Maine before being returned to Massachusetts. According to her family, she suffers from medical conditions and was initially denied access to her medication and other necessities. Her attorney successfully argued to have her criminal record wiped clean, leading to her release.
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Canton MA mom detained at Logan Airport despite legal status released from ICE custody.
It’s just mind-boggling to consider how a woman, legally residing in the country, can be detained at an airport. We’re talking about Jemmy, a mom from Canton, Massachusetts. She was held at Logan Airport, the very place where people come and go from all over the world, for four agonizing days. Imagine the stress and fear. According to her family and their attorney, she was denied basic human necessities during this time: no access to her medication, no phone calls to loved ones, and not even a shower. Eventually, they transferred her to a detention facility in Maine. It’s a cruel and shocking reality to face. The family’s attorney is seeking consequences for those involved in this inappropriate detention. But honestly, I’m not holding my breath. It’s the government we have, and sometimes it feels like they’re operating with impunity.
The initial response from authorities is a bit disingenuous. They try to justify the detention by saying a green card is a “privilege,” not a right. They state the government has the authority to revoke it if laws are broken. Their words continue, saying that because of a prior criminal conviction, she was subject to mandatory detention and could be asked to provide additional documentation for an immigration hearing. Okay, so they’re painting her as a criminal. A danger to society who needed to have her rights violated. It makes you wonder what kind of heinous crimes this woman committed that warranted such treatment.
Then you uncover the truth and it boils your blood. Jemmy’s husband, Rosa, says the officer brought up a decades-old marijuana case. At age 20, two decades and change ago, Jemmy pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor possession charge and served probation.
A MARIJUANA MISDEMEANOR FROM 22 YEARS AGO! That’s the excuse? That’s the reason they needed to illegally detain a 42-year-old legal resident, who was just returning from a vacation for over four days? Without food, medication, or basic access to showers? It’s absolutely infuriating.
It makes you question the motives and priorities of the people involved. It seems that in their zeal to enforce immigration laws, they’ve lost sight of the basic humanity and rights of the individuals they are detaining. This is an overreach, pure and simple. I can’t even begin to understand why she was detained in the first place. For a minor marijuana possession from over two decades ago? Is this how desperate they are? It makes you wonder how the situation will evolve when the international students return to Logan.
And that’s another thing. I can already see them targeting students on student visas at Boston-area schools. These students are working to get an education and better their lives. They don’t need to go through this. I really hope a class-action lawsuit is being prepared, because this is beyond egregious. We’re supposed to be a nation of laws, of freedom, and of the pursuit of happiness. Instead, we’re seeing this sort of abuse.
It’s also frustrating to see the hypocrisy of the arguments. You often hear about the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms. Yet, at the same time, we’re witnessing a willingness to sacrifice the very pillars of democracy. It’s as if the principles of freedom are conditional and apply only to a select few.
It’s a sad reality that anyone not born in the US is at risk of being denied entry if they’ve had any exposure to the legal system, even if it was something minor like a misdemeanor over two decades ago. Jemmy was lucky that the judge vacated her 22-year-old conviction due to inadequate legal representation. Otherwise, ICE would have probably sent her who knows where. They have quotas. And they’re finding any excuse to hit their targets. It’s a numbers game, and real people are the pawns.
This could have significant repercussions. Those international students subsidize the American students and give a lot back to the schools. If they have a single brain cell, those students won’t be back, and it’s just not worth the risk of indefinite detainment or being sent to a detention facility.
It’s also interesting to observe the political landscape. There’s a significant amount of misinformation that needs to be addressed. It’s important to remember that the average American isn’t on board with this, and the issue is the extreme amount of inequality. Wealth inequality and political inequality have created a system where money buys politics.
I also see the frustrations of those who feel as though the Democrats are not better than Republicans. I see the arguments for and against progressive politicians, and the need for a better, more equitable society. Not voting is basically saying you’re okay with whatever everyone else decides, and that’s how this happens.