$10K Raised For Montco Family After 'Traumatic' ICE Raid

LOWER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP, PA — More than $10,000 has been raised for an Eagleville family after one of their own was taken in a highly publicized ICE raid earlier this month, according to their GoFundMe page.

The ICE activity and accompanying raid, described by State Rep. Joe Webster as a "nightmarish, chaotic spectacle," lasted for hours at a home on North Barry Avenue and Ridge Pike on Feb. 9.

Related: 'Nightmarish, Chaotic Spectacle': ICE Raid In Trooper Sparks Intense Backlash

In the end, ICE agents smashed down the front door local man Jose Manuel Cordova Lopez was taken into federal custody.

Lopez's family said he came to the United States from Mexico legally on a work visa. The Department of Homeland Security acknowledged this, but said that visa expired in 2021.

"He is known by his family and community as hardworking, generous, and deeply devoted to those around him," immigrant advocacy organization Community for Change wrote in the fundraiser. "He wakes before dawn each day to work, provide, and contribute. Family is everything to him."

Local legislative leaders, family members, and the Department of Homeland Security give conflicting versions of events, with Webster and others characterizing ICE agents as the aggressors in a confrontation that occurred before they had obtained a warrant.

They said children and family were present when ICE did smash in the door, traumatizing the children inside.

DHS, meanwhile, says that Lopez rammed an ICE vehicle with his own vehicle in an attempt to get away, before hiding inside his home.

Lopez has been taken to a detention facility two hours away from home, and the family is facing significant financial challenges both in his legal expenses and in basic living costs without his salary to support them.

"With Jose gone, the emotional and financial weight on the household has grown heavier," Community for Change added.

The Lopez family and immigration rights groups are also calling for an investigation into the use of force used by ICE agents during the raid.

Webster said he and the observers remained on scene throughout the morning to ensure that the warrant was obtained and that all constitutional rights were respected.

He added that the ICE agents "did not present as professional law enforcement officers by their appearance or demeanor," noting that they wore torn clothing, had non-matching military vests, and all but one of them were masked.

State Sen. Amanda Cappelletti and others praised the local community for their support of the family impacted by the raid. The front door was broken down during the incident, and volunteers worked with a local contractor, Wisest Home Improvements, to quickly get it back on.

"We keep each other safe, and together we can continue to resist this federal administration’s un-American agenda," Cappelletti said.

Volunteers also donated food and clothing to the family.

The fundraiser has thus far drawn donations from 240 individuals.