California Councilwoman’s Husband Arrested by Federal Agents in Walmart Parking Lot Amid Immigration Crackdown

COACHELLA, CA – March 5, 2025 – Federal agents arrested Isidro Jimenez-Ibanez, the husband of Coachella City Councilwoman Yadira Perez, in a Walmart parking lot on February 24, 2025. The arrest, captured on video by Perez herself, has thrust the couple into the national spotlight as Jimenez-Ibanez, a 51-year-old Mexican national, now faces deportation proceedings due to his illegal status and extensive criminal history. The incident, reported extensively by Newsweek, underscores the intensified immigration enforcement efforts under the Trump administration, leaving Perez distraught and raising questions about the intersection of personal lives and public policy.

According to a statement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Jimenez-Ibanez’s arrest was part of a “targeted enforcement action” aimed at undocumented immigrants with criminal records (Newsweek, February 27, 2025). ICE detailed that Jimenez-Ibanez first entered the United States at an unknown date without authorization and was deported in March 1995 following a conviction for possession of methamphetamine for sale in Riverside County Superior Court in August 1994. He illegally reentered the country at an unspecified time, accumulating a series of subsequent convictions that include inflicting corporal injury to a spouse in June 1998, driving under the influence (DUI) in 1996 and 2007, and assault with a deadly weapon in 2023 (The Desert Sun, February 27, 2025).

Perez, who was elected to the Coachella City Council in November 2024 and previously served as a deputy with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, recorded the arrest as FBI agents, assisting ICE, surrounded their vehicle. In the emotional footage shared on social media, she can be heard saying, “My family was just separated. They have taken my kids’ father. Those are the desperate cries of help” (Blaze Media, February 26, 2025). The councilwoman later told KESQ-TV that Jimenez-Ibanez had been arrested for drug possession in 1994—before they met—and deported in 1995, only to return illegally and marry her thereafter. She acknowledged his subsequent charges, including misdemeanor assault and two DUIs, but called the separation of their family “inhuman” (KESQ, February 24, 2025).

Following his arrest, Jimenez-Ibanez was detained at the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department central detention center. He was released on bond on February 25, 2025, pending a hearing scheduled for April, though federal prosecutors have since requested a reconsideration of that decision (The Desert Sun, February 27, 2025). ICE confirmed that his apprehension was part of a broader initiative launched in September 2021 to revisit closed cases of deported immigrants who illegally reentered the U.S., with his 2023 assault conviction triggering renewed scrutiny (KESQ, March 4, 2025).

The arrest has had significant repercussions for Perez. She resigned from her position as a Riverside County Sheriff’s deputy shortly after the incident, with Sheriff Chad Bianco confirming her departure and noting an ongoing internal affairs investigation alongside a potential criminal probe handed over to the District Attorney’s public corruption team and federal authorities (Uken Report, February 26, 2025). Despite her absence from a Coachella City Council meeting on February 26, city officials stated her council status remains active as of March 5, 2025 (The Desert Sun, February 27, 2025). Perez has vowed to resign from the council and leave the country with her husband if he is deported, a move that could disrupt the city’s governance (NBC Palm Springs, February 26, 2025).

The timing of the arrest has sparked speculation about political motivations, particularly given Perez’s recent election, which shifted the balance of power in Coachella, a designated sanctuary city since 2017 (Latin Times, February 28, 2025). Perez has suggested to media outlets that the action against her husband was “politically motivated,” though no concrete evidence has surfaced to support this claim (The Mirror US, February 26, 2025). Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez clarified that while the city limits cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, it cannot prevent federal agents from operating within its boundaries (The Desert Sun, February 27, 2025).

The case has ignited public debate, amplified by social media posts on X, where sentiments range from support for stricter immigration enforcement to sympathy for Perez’s family. It coincides with President Donald Trump’s renewed focus on mass deportations, a campaign promise bolstered by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s pledge to swiftly deport “violent criminals” (Newsweek, February 27, 2025). A New York Times/Ipsos poll cited by Newsweek found that 88% of voters support deporting immigrants with criminal records, reflecting broad public backing for such measures.

As Jimenez-Ibanez awaits his April hearing, the unfolding saga highlights the complex interplay of immigration policy, local governance, and personal consequences in an era of heightened enforcement. Perez, meanwhile, remains resolute, telling Blaze Media, “People are playing dirty, but I will keep fighting for my community until the end” (Blaze Media, February 26, 2025). 17GEN4.com