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Gas station worker called town's 'unofficial mayor' detained by ICE in Washington

Sep 17, 2026·Location: Conway, WA

Country of origin: Mexico

Gas station worker called town's 'unofficial mayor' detained by ICE in Washington
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Juan Gerardo Alatorre Martinez, 46, a Mexican national who has lived in the U.S. for more than 25 years, was detained by ICE agents as he arrived for his shift at a gas station in Conway, Washington. Neighbors and coworkers described him as a beloved figure in town, sometimes calling him the 'unofficial mayor,' noting he paid taxes, kept his immigration paperwork in order, and had spent years helping others in the community. Martinez had been pursuing lawful permanent residency through a petition filed decades ago by his U.S. citizen brother and says he does not want to self-deport. His attorney said the original ICE report indicated agents were searching for someone connected to a car Martinez was driving, though DHS said the arrest was part of targeted enforcement citing civil violations including driving without a license. While held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Martinez has described unsanitary conditions, medical neglect, and witnessing another detainee injure himself, as community members have raised over $20,000 for his legal defense.

Timeline

Sep 17, 2026—Martinez describes unsanitary and neglectful conditions in detention; fundraiser total rises above $20,000
Sep 10, 2026—Community members organize support, with an online fundraiser for his legal defense raising more than $9,300
Jul 2026—Detained by ICE agents outside a gas station in Conway, Washington, just before his shift
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