Daniel Neyoy Ruiz, who took sanctuary Tuesday at Southside Presbysterian Church, will remain at the South Tucson church according to his attorney Margo Cowan, until she receives in writing from ICE that her client is "an excellent candidate for the favorable exercise of discretion and is not a priority for removal."
Yesterday, an ICE spokesperson issues the following statement:
“After conducting a thorough review of Mr. Ruiz’s immigration case, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has decided to exercise prosecutorial discretion by not taking immediate action on Mr. Ruiz’s removal order.”
In response to ICE’s announcement, through a press release issued today by No More Deaths:
The statement acknowledges that Mr. Neyoy Ruiz is a low priority for removal, yet stops short of formally stopping his deportation through administrative actions available to Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. When asked what this announcement means for him and his family, Mr. Neyoy Ruiz says, “We continue to feel strong and supported by our community and will remain in Sanctuary as long as it takes to know our family will be allowed to remain together here in Tucson.”
From Cowan:
“Although ICE has not notified me in writing, we have seen the statement released by local ICE officials. The agency has reached a legitimate conclusion that Daniel Neyoy Ruiz is an excellent candidate for the favorable exercise of discretion and is not a priority for removal. We continue to call on ICE to formally stop his removal. The family, church community and I applaud the decision to not take immediate action to enforce his order of removal and we call on ICE to issue him a document that any law enforcement agency, including Customs and Border Protection, will not enforce his order of removal, or to grant other means that will ensure that his family can remain together. Only then will Daniel be able to leave Sanctuary and return to daily life with his family and his community.”
