Joceline Penaloza, 24, was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after an August traffic stop, according to her family. Her family is asking for answers.
The family said Penaloza has lived in southwest Houston for nearly two decades after being brought from Mexico in 2007, when she was about 5 years old. Her sister, Cynthia Penaloza, said Joceline graduated in the top 10% of her high school class and has no criminal conviction or traffic citation. Cynthia said her sister's legal status kept her from pursuing higher education.
According to the family's attorney, a Harris County Sheriff's Office deputy stopped Penaloza on Aug. 19 near Highway 6 and Westheimer Road in the Eldridge/West Oaks area because her car was partially stopped in an intersection. Cynthia said her sister was driving home from work. She said Penaloza waited more than an hour at the scene until ICE agents arrived to arrest her.