Moundville Man Caught In Immigration Battle Awaits Uncertain Fate

Family and friends in Moundville are working feverishly to resolve the documentation status of Santiago Benitez before he is deported. Benitez had been working unsuccessfully for more than two years to become a legal U.S. citizen before he was picked up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agents after an immigration hearing in Montgomery earlier this week. He was transported to the Pickens County Jail, where he awaits transfer to a Louisiana Detention Facility.

ICE Agents informed Benitez family members that he was detained because of his illegal 2013 re-entry into the United States.

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The Mexico native married his wife Katelyn in 2023, and they have children. Family members describe him as a good family man who works hard, long hours to provide for them.

The Trump administration says it is targeting immigrants without legal status who have criminal records, and they have repeatedly stated that their first priority for ICE arrests is with the, "worst of the worst". But in recent months, a growing share have been picked up on non-criminal charges both in Alabama and nationwide.

The Benetiz' family says he is far from a terrible criminal. They say he is not a violent criminal or a threat to national security. They point out his only crime is his desire to live, work, and raise his family in the United States.

Ice claims arrests and detentions are based on three factors.

• Individuals with criminal convictions.
• Individuals with pending criminal charges.
• Those with no convictions or pending charges but who have broken U.S. immigration laws.

The State of Alabama is among the top 20 states for ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement) arrests. According to a CBS News August analysis of U.S. Government data released by The White House, Alabama is 14th nationally in ICE arrests since the Trump Administration began.

One reason for the growing number of arrests is the expansion of partnerships, called 287G agreements, between local law enforcement and the federal government. At least 11 Alabama sheriff's departments have agreed to assist ICE.