A family of three was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Oregon after seeking medical care for their 7-year-old daughter, according to local reports and family advocates.
Diana Crespo and her parents, Darianny Liseth Gonzalez De Crespo and Yohendry De Jesus Crespo, were taken into custody on Jan. 16 after visiting an urgent care clinic in Portland. The family had sought treatment after Diana experienced a prolonged nosebleed the previous day.
According to Oregon Public Broadcasting and Noticias Noroeste, ICE agents detained the family in the parking lot of Portland Adventist Health shortly after they arrived for the appointment.
The parents and their daughter are now being held at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, family friends said. The facility is also housing a 5-year-old boy whose detention in Minnesota recently drew national attention.
Family Background and Detention
Family friends told reporters that the Crespos arrived in the United States from Venezuela just over a year ago. They initially settled in Utah before relocating to Oregon in October, citing increased immigration enforcement in their former community.
A friend of the family said they entered the U.S. through California after attending an appointment with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and that both parents have pending asylum applications. According to the same source, Darianny and Yohendry were issued permits allowing them to work legally while their cases are under review.
At the time of their detention, the family was still in the process of securing legal representation.
A GoFundMe page organized by a family friend states that ICE agents ordered the family out of their vehicle before Diana could be examined by a doctor. The fundraiser claims the family was taken into custody without personal funds and is seeking assistance to cover legal and living expenses during detention.
The organizer described the parents as hardworking individuals who came to the United States hoping to build a safer future for their daughter.
Health Concerns
According to a family friend, Diana remained ill following her detention and did not receive medical attention at the detention facility for several days. The child has since recovered, the friend said.
Portland Adventist Health said it was unaware of the detention at the time it occurred.
“No law enforcement agency contacted us, and we did not coordinate with any agency,” a spokesperson for the hospital said in a statement. “Our priority is providing care to anyone who needs it, regardless of circumstance.”
Community Response
Advocates say the case marks one of the first known instances of an entire family being detained by ICE in Oregon.
A coordinator with the Portland Immigrants Rights Coalition called the incident alarming, describing it as a troubling development in immigration enforcement practices within the state.
Official Response
ICE did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the family’s detention. The hospital also declined further comment beyond its initial statement.
The family remains in custody as their asylum case and legal options continue to be reviewed.