A Los Angeles immigration activist whose arrest last year sparked protests and allegations of misconduct against federal law enforcement officials is now suing the Department of Homeland Security, claiming her application for protection from deportation as a “Dreamer” was unfairly rejected on the basis of her activism.
Claudia Rueda, a 23-year-old Cal State L.A. student, filed the federal lawsuit Tuesday alleging that the government violated its own policies in rejecting her application under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in October of last year.
“The only discernible difference between Ms. Rueda and the hundreds of thousands of others who have been approved for DACA status is her political speech and activism against Defendants’ immigration practices,” the lawsuit said.
Rueda first gained attention across Southern California in May 2017, when she and six others were arrested outside her home by agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
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