Coachella City Councilwoman Yadira Perez broke down in tears in an interview with NBC, as she recounted the arrest of her husband, Isidro Jimenez, by FBI agents in a Walmart parking lot on February 24, 2025. The arrest carried out on an immigration warrant, has ignited a firestorm of controversy, with Perez alleging political targeting and decrying the separation of families.
Jimenez, a 51-year-old Mexican national, was detained as part of a โtargeted enforcement actionโ by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to an official statement. ICE revealed that Jimenez has a criminal record, including convictions for drug possession, spousal abuse, DUI, and assault with a deadly weapon. He was first deported in 1995 after a drug conviction but illegally re-entered the U.S. and has since faced multiple charges.
Perez, however, claims the arrest was politically motivated. She said during the interview:
โโMy family was just separated. They have taken my kids’ father. Those are the desperate cries of help… The separation of a family is not right; itโs inhuman!โ
Perez, who serves on the Coachella City Council, vowed to resign if her husband is deported, a move that could disrupt the cityโs governance.
Jimenez was released on bond after a bail hearing on Tuesday, February 26, and is scheduled for another hearing in April. Perez described her husband as her biggest supporter during her campaign for city council, saying, โHe motivated me to fight for transparency, unity, and safety for our city.โ
The arrest comes amid heightened tensions over immigration enforcement under President Donald Trumpโs administration, which has prioritized mass deportations and rescinded protections against raids in sensitive areas like schools and churches. While Perez has suggested her husbandโs arrest was politically driven, no evidence has emerged to support this claim.
The Riverside County Sheriffโs Office confirmed that Perez resigned from her position as a deputy sheriff investigator for โpersonal reasonsโ following her husbandโs arrest. Meanwhile, ICE has defended its actions, stating that it prioritizes the removal of undocumented immigrants with criminal records who pose a threat to public safety.
The incident has sparked a broader debate about immigration policies and their impact on families. Perez remains defiant, vowing to continue fighting for her community. โPeople are playing dirty,โ she said. โBut I will keep fighting for my community until the end.โ
