Family Seeks Release of Detained Landscaper Margarita Avila After Assault Charge Dropped

Case Overview

• 📌 51-year-old landscaper Margarita Avila is currently in ICE detention following an altercation with a USPS worker.
• ⚡ Avila was initially arrested and charged with assault, but her family maintains she was acting in self-defense.

Legal Developments

• ⚖️ The assault charge against Avila was dismissed this week by the Harris County District Attorney's Office due to a lack of evidence.
• 🏠 Avila's family argues that with the charge dropped, she should be released from ICE detention to continue her asylum case.

Avila's Situation and ICE Response

• 📞 Avila, calling from the ICE detention center, stated she is innocent and described the conditions as inhumane.
• 📄 An ICE spokesperson stated Avila has a record of entering the US illegally multiple times and will remain in custody pending removal proceedings.
• 🌍 Despite the ICE statement, Avila's family notes she has been in the US for over two decades and has been pursuing an asylum case for more than 10 years, with a petition from her US citizen son.