California-based Chicana painter Criselda Vasquez has spoken out after her father was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while commuting to work.
Vasquez, whose celebrated 2017 portrait “The New American Gothic” features her parents, said that her father had been racially profiled on his way home from work. The family raised nearly $68,000 through a GoFundMe campaign for legal fees and lost wages.
Vasquez described how her father's hard work has inspired her to depict the “plight” of many in her community. Her 2017 painting is part of the Lucas Museum for Narrative Art collection in Los Angeles, capturing the everyday struggles of Mexican-American life.
The news comes as President Trump’s administration continues its crackdown on immigrants, with ICE street arrests increasing more than elevenfold during his second term's first year. The report highlights that it has become harder to secure release from detention amid deportation proceedings.
