An illegal migrant social media influencer who warned others online about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) raids in California has been deported back to Colombia.
According to Ice, Tatiana Mafla-Martinez was arrested in August for a previous driving under the influence charge and illegally residing in the US.
The Colombian national boasted almost 50,000 followers on her TikTok account, where she posted Ice raid "alerts" in Los Angeles and other areas in California.
The 24-year-old was arrested by Ice agents while she was livestreaming on her account, with the video of the arrest widely circulating across different social media platforms.
Tatiana Mafla-Martinez was arrested in August for a previous driving under the influence charge and illegal presence in the US
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Footage of the incident showed Mafla-Martinez screaming at the agents in Spanish from her Tesla.
After the Colombian was arrested, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said: “On August 15, Ice arrested Leidy Tatiana Mafla-Martinez, a criminal illegal alien from Colombia who was convicted for driving under the influence in Los Angeles.
“This criminal illegal alien entered the country in 2022 and was released by the Biden administration."
The 24-year-old was given medical attention after she claimed to be experiencing shortness of breath as she was being arrested, Ms McLaughlin added.
And chaos broke out while she was handcuffed when another illegal migrant, Bobby Nunez, allegedly towed away a patrol vehicle belonging to an Ice agent.
Mr Nunez was later arrested and charged with theft of Government property.
The US Attorney for the Central District of California, Bill Essayli, shared footage of the illegal migrant's arrest and said: "Apparently he thought it would be funny to interfere with our immigration enforcement operations.
"Now he can laugh behind bars while he faces justice."
The US Attorney confirmed that Mr Nunez could face up to 10 years in federal prison if found guilty.
Mr Nunez was later arrested and charged with theft of Government property
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Immigration lawyer Carlos Jurado represented the social media influencer in her deportation case.
Mr Jurado argued that his client had been targeted by the authorities due to her previous posts on Ice raids in California.
He told ABC News: “We believe, at this point, based on things that have been said to her, is that, because she was out filming Ice activities, she was targeted.”
Mafli-Martinez was held in an Ice facility in southern California before being deported back to her homeland last week.
Mafli-Martinez was held in an Ice facility in southern California before being deported back to her homeland last week
| TIKTOKThe US is currently on track to deport 600,000 illegal migrants by the end of 2025.
Ice and other federal agencies have arrested more than 457,000 illegal migrants so far this year.
Ms McLaughlin has praised the President and the Homeland Security Secretary for their efforts in tackling illegal migration, saying the pair "jumpstarted an agency that was vilified and barred from doing its job for the last four years".
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