“For Xochitl, we want them… FREE!”
Around a dozen members of Movimiento Cosecha GR and GR Rapid Response gathered at the Gerald R. Ford Federal Building to deliver letters to Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin asking for her help in securing the release of Catalina “Xochitl” Santiago.
“On August 3, 2025, Xochitl was detained by CBP without a warrant while waiting to board a domestic flight for work at the El Paso, Texas, airport. She remains in ICE custody.”
While not a Michigan resident, Xochitl is an active member of Cosecha who travels the country working with local chapters. Cosecha GR says Senator Slotkin offered to help free Xochitl, but even after an immigration judge confirmed she cannot be deported due to being protected under Deferred Action and Childhood Arrivals, she remains in ICE custody. Gema Lowe is an organizer with Cosecha GR.
“So, the situation that happened to Xochitl is not just to her, but since she is a high-profile activist, it’s something that we can use to make aware where it is. It’s not just in El Paso, it’s here, too.”
Cosecha delivered the letters to Senator Slotkin’s Grand Rapids office, but she was not on site to receive them. We reached out to the Senator for comment but did not hear back in time for this story.
For a weekly dose of news right to your inbox, sign up for the WGVU newsletter.
