Protesters gathered outside the Lake County courthouse on May 5 to demand the bonded release of 22-year-old Lisandra Perez Raya, a Clermont resident and mother of a 4-month-old infant, whose recent arrest for a traffic violation has sparked local outcry.
Although a $500 bond was set for the misdemeanor charge of driving without a license, Perez Raya is on a secondary U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer (ICE hold).
Her legal representatives have posted online that she was actively pursuing legal status at the time of her arrest, according to a story in the Clermont Sun.
According to the Clermont Sun story, the Raya family retained Groveland lawyer Brigette Bennett to represent her. In 2021, she applied to DACA, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a program that offered protection from illegal status, but the program that offers two-year, renewable permits to live and work in the U.S. has been discontinued, so Perez Raya’s application is still pending in the system.
Perez Raya’s supporters have used her case to illustrate the “funneling” effect, in which individuals trying to follow the legal path to residency are nonetheless detained for minor infractions.
Residents with signs chanted “Free Lisandra” and “Keep families together” gathered at the courthouse, as dozens of neighbors and activists highlighted what they describe as the excessive detention of a hardworking mom and non-criminal resident.
A wider net to capture undocumented immigrants
As of early 2026, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office is part of the expanded Task Force Model of the 287(g) program. This agreement allows local deputies to perform federal immigration functions as part of routine duties, effectively turning a standard traffic stop into an immigration screening.
Legal experts in the Middle District of Florida have noted a surge in cases where residents are detained for driving without a license (a misdemeanor) and then funneled into federal custody via ICE detainers.
In 2026 alone, families in this district filed 224 habeas petitions to challenge these detentions, an increase from previous years.
How a newborn’s mom landed in custody
According to the official arrest affidavit from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the situation goes back to a traffic stop on April 26 at about 9:20 p.m.
Clermont police officers pulled over Perez Raya at the McDonald’s at 1600 S. U.S. 27 in Clermont because she had a headlight out.
The report says that she was unable to provide a valid driver’s license. A search of the Driver and Vehicle Information Database (DAVID) and Spillman databases confirmed she had never been issued a license in Florida or any other U.S. state.
Officers charged her with operating a motor vehicle without a valid license, a second-degree misdemeanor.
Perez Raya reportedly presented Mexican identification but expressed uncertainty regarding its status during the investigation. Her bond was set at $500.
Following a D.I.O. (Driving Ineligible or unlicensed) investigation, Perez Raya was transported to the Lake County Substation used by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
“The next 48 hours are critical as immigration authorities determine next steps,” supporter Maxwell told the Daily Commercial.
“The next 48 hours are critical as immigration authorities determine next steps.” — Mitzi Maxwell, community volunteer, on custody of Lisandra Perez Raya
Support for Lisandra
Maxwell coordinated the Tuesday demonstration at the courthouse. The protests are ongoing each day at 10 a.m. until Perez Raya is released on bond.
She questioned whether a $500 misdemeanor charge should lead to indefinite detention or potential deportation.
“Lisandra has no criminal record, has lived here since infancy, and is the mother of a 4-month-old baby,” she said. “We respect the legal process, and we are asking that she be granted immigration bond so she can be with her baby while the legal process continues.”
Perez Raya remained in custody as of early Tuesday afternoon. Legal representatives for the family are reportedly working to address any secondary holds that may be preventing her release on the initial $500 bond.
A GoFundMe has been set up to assist her legal representation.
“Lisandra has always been the one who keeps our home running — she takes care of our baby’s appointments, manages our daily needs, and supports us in every way,” Perez Raya’s husband, Sergio Rojo Landaverde, said on the GoFundMe page. “Her absence has left a huge gap in our lives, and every day without her is a struggle for our family.”
While ICE detentions have subsided as the news topic of the day, detention centers continue to draw controversy and grow in number. Reporter and author Jacob Soboroff, who has conducted extensive research and authored a book on the Trump administration’s undocumented-immigrant enforcement, told MSNBC that 2026 is gearing up to be the “deadliest” year for ICE detentions.
This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Busted headlight lands newborn’s mom in ICE custody, sparking protests
Reporting by Julie Garisto, Leesburg Daily Commercial / Daily Commercial
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