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Grandfather detained by ICE in front of autistic grandson in Washington

José Luis Arias, a Honduran grandfather, was detained by ICE in front of his autistic grandson in Airway Heights, Washington, as his daughter pleaded for officers to stop.

Oct 21, 2026Airway Heights, WACountry of origin: Honduras

Grandfather detained by ICE in front of autistic grandson in Washington
Photo via Instagram

José Luis Arias, a Honduran man, was detained by ICE agents in Airway Heights, Washington, near Spokane, in front of his grandson, who has autism. Video of the arrest shows agents subduing Arias as he shouted for his daughter to call for help, while she pleaded with officers not to arrest him in front of the child to avoid emotional distress. The family says the arrest was not related to any crime, but to a pending immigration case. The family had previously been featured in a 2021 news article describing their journey from Honduras so Arias's daughter, who was diagnosed with leukemia as a child, could receive a stem-cell and bone-marrow transplant unavailable in Honduras.

Timeline

Oct 21, 2026—Further details emerge about the family, including their 2021 journey from Honduras for medical treatment and lack of criminal history.
Oct 19, 2026—José Luis Arias detained by ICE agents in Airway Heights, Washington, in front of his autistic grandson; video shows agents subduing him as his daughter pleads with them.
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