Free Byron Press Conference news coverage and omissions: Another ICE arrest with GRPD collaboration

On Monday, Movimiento Cosecha and GR Rapid Response to ICE held a press conference for a new campaign they are working on that is simply called Free Byron.

Byron Martinez was stopped by ICE agents on February 3rd in Grand Rapids, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the GRPD.

Witnesses reported that agents did not give Byron the opportunity to present valid immigration paperwork that he had in his possession, including documentation related to his asylum case. Instead, he was forcibly removed from his vehicle, pushed against it while pleading to identify himself, and then thrown face-first into a snowbank. Community members describe the incident as excessive, unjustified, and emblematic of a broader pattern of racial profiling and escalating immigration enforcement.

Byron Martinez is described by family and friends as a gentle, compassionate, and humble young man who speaks proudly of his Ecuadorian heritage and Christian values. He was forced to flee instability in Ecuador but has always expressed deep love for his homeland, frequently sharing stories of his culture and music. His mother is heartbroken, having watched her son escape violence in Ecuador only to experience violence again in the United States.

ICE had stopped Byron by using a standard tactic, which was to racially profile people based on appearance, or because they speak in a non-English language or with an accent, according to Cosecha organizer Gema Lowe.

A Kalamazoo community leader representing the Southwest Michigan Coalition denounced the use of force in Byron’s arrest and called for transparency, due process, and assurances of his safety. Advocates argue that racial profiling and collaboration between agencies including the Grand Rapids Police Department  increase harm to immigrant communities and contribute to a pipeline into for-profit detention centers with documented human rights concerns.

Next, a member of GR Rapid Response to ICE spoke about how they received a call about ICE apprehending Byron and sent people who have been trained to do direct intervention. The GR Rapid Response to ICE representative also stated that it was clear that the GRPD was present in the arrest of Byron and that their group has seen and documented numerous incidents over the past 8 months where the GRPD has clearly collaborated with ICE, regardless of what the GRPD and Mayor LaGrand says.

The fourth person to speak during the Press Conference was Immigration Attorney Richard Kessler, who is representing Byron and has visited him several times at the GEO Group owned Northlake ICE Detention Center in Baldwin, Michigan. Kessler believes that Byron was not only wrongfully detained, but the agents physically abused him and force him face first into a snow bank.

Cosecha organizers showed video of how Byron was treated by ICE agents, the ATF and the role of the GRPD in this arrest, video which you can see at this link. We ask that people not share this video on social media, since it can create more panic and anxiety for immigrant communities.

The organizers of this Press Conference were also making the following demands:

• The immediate release of Byron Martinez
• Full transparency about the roles of ICE, ATF, and GRPD
• The passage of sanctuary policies by the City of Grand Rapids and Kent County
• An end to local cooperation with ICE and rejection of 287(g) agreements
• Policy protections against profiling and unlawful detention

In addition, there is an online campaign where people can send messages to Grand Rapids Mayor David LaGrand, the ICE Field Office in Michigan, Michigan Senators Peters and Slotkin, along with Rep. Hillary Scholten. Just go to this link.

Local News Coverage and Omissions

There was some coverage by local news agencies who attended the Press Conference. Of the seven news agencies in attendance, only four news agencies had created news stories of this 24 hours after the Press Conference took place.

The news agencies that did report on the Press Conference were WZZM 13, WWMT channel 3, MLive and El Vocero. El Vocero’s coverage was the most comprehensive, but the WZZM 13 story was also pretty accurate, along with their efforts to get a statement from ICE and the GRPD on Byron’s arrest.

What is interesting is that the MLive reporter who came kept making comments like, “he was arrested so he must have done something wrong” and “he must have been resisting arrest, since the officers yelled at him no to resist.” The Immigration lawyer said that he had not done anything unlawful, since he had his asylum application papers on his person, thus Byron was racially profiled. The representative from GR Rapid Response to ICE asked the MLive reported if he had every been arrested and physically abused like Byron had, to which the reported said no. They said they had been forcibly arrested and in is natural for people to tighten their muscles in these circumstances, which is how people try survive in these intense moments.

The MLive article is the only news story that included a response from the GRPD, where they stated:

“GRPD responded to provide crowd control at the request of a federal agency (not ICE) making an arrest. We provided aid to create safety and order for all involved parties and bystanders,” the department said a written statement.

“As per policy, GRPD did not coordinate, participate, or otherwise involve themselves with the mission of the federal agency, nor aid in the apprehension of the suspect.”

Allowing the GRPD the last word, without any verification of their claims favors the police position on this matter. However, as the GR Rapid Response to ICE person stated during the Press Conference, “the video shows clearly that the GRPD showed up just seconds after the ICE agent is forcing Byron into the snowbank, with the GRPD standing a few feet away. The GRPD can justify their actions however they want, but it is clear that the GRPD was contacted by ICE to assist in the arrest and to make sure that members of GR Rapid Response to ICE would not interfere with without putting themselves at risk.”