Melissa Sanchez
@melissa-sanchez.bsky.social
Reporter at @ProPublica.org interested in immigration and labor. Based in Chicago. Also a fan of parenting memes.
We updated this story to add that DHS acknowledges at least 4 of the Venezuelans detained in raid are a low public safety risk. A judge the. ordered them released. We were about to publish a story about this… then an appeals court stayed order. The men will remain in detention or may be deported
November 20, 2025 at 9:37 PM
We updated this story to add that DHS acknowledges at least 4 of the Venezuelans detained in raid are a low public safety risk. A judge the. ordered them released. We were about to publish a story about this… then an appeals court stayed order. The men will remain in detention or may be deported
A little bit of rainbow to welcome me to Providence, RI 🥰
September 30, 2025 at 8:52 PM
A little bit of rainbow to welcome me to Providence, RI 🥰
Meanwhile the other one fills my reporter notebooks with gifts like this
September 29, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Meanwhile the other one fills my reporter notebooks with gifts like this
So the kid was trying to make fun of us but omg I love this…. Beep-boop
September 28, 2025 at 12:08 AM
So the kid was trying to make fun of us but omg I love this…. Beep-boop
Mexican consulate identifies immigrant killed by ICE in Chicago suburb as 38 year old Silverio Villegas Gonzalez, from the state or Michoacán.
September 12, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Mexican consulate identifies immigrant killed by ICE in Chicago suburb as 38 year old Silverio Villegas Gonzalez, from the state or Michoacán.
August 15, 2025 at 3:32 AM
13/ Last week, the 230+ Venezuelan men Trump deported to El Salvador finally made it home.
I was able to get in touch with Rodríguez, who said he was relieved to be with his family again, but that he felt traumatized by what he had gone through.
I was able to get in touch with Rodríguez, who said he was relieved to be with his family again, but that he felt traumatized by what he had gone through.
July 29, 2025 at 4:13 PM
13/ Last week, the 230+ Venezuelan men Trump deported to El Salvador finally made it home.
I was able to get in touch with Rodríguez, who said he was relieved to be with his family again, but that he felt traumatized by what he had gone through.
I was able to get in touch with Rodríguez, who said he was relieved to be with his family again, but that he felt traumatized by what he had gone through.
6/ Meanwhile, the TikTok was of him dancing to the audio of someone shouting, “The Tren de Aragua is going to get you” in Spanish, followed by a beat drop.
It’s been used ~60K times by Venezuelans ridiculing the stereotype that everyone from their country is a gangster.
It’s been used ~60K times by Venezuelans ridiculing the stereotype that everyone from their country is a gangster.
July 29, 2025 at 4:13 PM
6/ Meanwhile, the TikTok was of him dancing to the audio of someone shouting, “The Tren de Aragua is going to get you” in Spanish, followed by a beat drop.
It’s been used ~60K times by Venezuelans ridiculing the stereotype that everyone from their country is a gangster.
It’s been used ~60K times by Venezuelans ridiculing the stereotype that everyone from their country is a gangster.
5/ “Are any of your tattoos gang related?” his attorney asked at the hearing, going through an ICE report.
Rodríguez said no. His tattoos include an angel holding a gun, a wolf and a rose.
At one point, he lifted his shirt to show his parents’ names inked across his chest.
Rodríguez said no. His tattoos include an angel holding a gun, a wolf and a rose.
At one point, he lifted his shirt to show his parents’ names inked across his chest.
July 29, 2025 at 4:13 PM
5/ “Are any of your tattoos gang related?” his attorney asked at the hearing, going through an ICE report.
Rodríguez said no. His tattoos include an angel holding a gun, a wolf and a rose.
At one point, he lifted his shirt to show his parents’ names inked across his chest.
Rodríguez said no. His tattoos include an angel holding a gun, a wolf and a rose.
At one point, he lifted his shirt to show his parents’ names inked across his chest.
3/ More than a year earlier, Rodríguez had been convicted of shoplifting in the Chicago suburbs. But since then he had seemed to get his life on track.
He found a job at Wrigley Field, sent money home to his mom in Venezuela and went to the gym and church with his girlfriend.
He found a job at Wrigley Field, sent money home to his mom in Venezuela and went to the gym and church with his girlfriend.
July 29, 2025 at 4:13 PM
3/ More than a year earlier, Rodríguez had been convicted of shoplifting in the Chicago suburbs. But since then he had seemed to get his life on track.
He found a job at Wrigley Field, sent money home to his mom in Venezuela and went to the gym and church with his girlfriend.
He found a job at Wrigley Field, sent money home to his mom in Venezuela and went to the gym and church with his girlfriend.
1/ Early on in President Trump’s second term, I spent a few weeks observing Chicago’s immigration court to get a sense of how things were changing.
One afternoon in March, the case of a 27-year-old Venezuelan asylum-seeker caught my attention.
I want to tell you his story 👇
One afternoon in March, the case of a 27-year-old Venezuelan asylum-seeker caught my attention.
I want to tell you his story 👇
July 29, 2025 at 4:13 PM
1/ Early on in President Trump’s second term, I spent a few weeks observing Chicago’s immigration court to get a sense of how things were changing.
One afternoon in March, the case of a 27-year-old Venezuelan asylum-seeker caught my attention.
I want to tell you his story 👇
One afternoon in March, the case of a 27-year-old Venezuelan asylum-seeker caught my attention.
I want to tell you his story 👇
10/ We have more stories coming. This work was done by ProPublica in partnership with The Texas Tribune, Alianza Rebelde Investiga and Cazadores de Fake News. Many, many people helped pull this together.
July 23, 2025 at 6:15 PM
10/ We have more stories coming. This work was done by ProPublica in partnership with The Texas Tribune, Alianza Rebelde Investiga and Cazadores de Fake News. Many, many people helped pull this together.
6/ You can search by age (the youngest were just 18) or if we found they have tattoos or whether the U.S. government had flagged them as having criminal records.
July 23, 2025 at 6:15 PM
6/ You can search by age (the youngest were just 18) or if we found they have tattoos or whether the U.S. government had flagged them as having criminal records.
3/ Another man’s family said he was detained at an appointment at the U.S.-Mexico border. Immigration officers separated migrants into two lines: those with tattoos and those without. He was asked about his tattoos — such as stars, crowns, the names of loved ones — and detained.
July 23, 2025 at 6:15 PM
3/ Another man’s family said he was detained at an appointment at the U.S.-Mexico border. Immigration officers separated migrants into two lines: those with tattoos and those without. He was asked about his tattoos — such as stars, crowns, the names of loved ones — and detained.
2/ One man told his parents that ICE officials questioned him because of his last name, Guerrero – a common surname in Latin America and one shared by the leader of the Tren de Aragua gang. His mother was adamant they were not related. “Absolutely not,” she said.
July 23, 2025 at 6:15 PM
2/ One man told his parents that ICE officials questioned him because of his last name, Guerrero – a common surname in Latin America and one shared by the leader of the Tren de Aragua gang. His mother was adamant they were not related. “Absolutely not,” she said.
1/ “I would like the whole world to know that my son is not a criminal. He’s not a terrorist.”
That’s what the mother of Yolfran Alejandro Escobar Falcón told us. Yolfran is one of the 230+ Venezuelan men who the Trump admin. imprisoned in El Salvador.
That’s what the mother of Yolfran Alejandro Escobar Falcón told us. Yolfran is one of the 230+ Venezuelan men who the Trump admin. imprisoned in El Salvador.
July 23, 2025 at 6:15 PM
1/ “I would like the whole world to know that my son is not a criminal. He’s not a terrorist.”
That’s what the mother of Yolfran Alejandro Escobar Falcón told us. Yolfran is one of the 230+ Venezuelan men who the Trump admin. imprisoned in El Salvador.
That’s what the mother of Yolfran Alejandro Escobar Falcón told us. Yolfran is one of the 230+ Venezuelan men who the Trump admin. imprisoned in El Salvador.
This morning, the kid kept going back to the word “breaks” on Strands, knowing that’s exactly what this mom would most love on Mother’s Day :-)
May 11, 2025 at 1:24 PM
This morning, the kid kept going back to the word “breaks” on Strands, knowing that’s exactly what this mom would most love on Mother’s Day :-)
Our 4-year-old, now copying the 7-year-old, is drawing comics
February 28, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Our 4-year-old, now copying the 7-year-old, is drawing comics
Friday before Valentine’s Day
February 8, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Friday before Valentine’s Day
The kind of humor one needs (from the brain of a 7 year old, completing a vocab assignment) in this moment in America.
February 4, 2025 at 1:55 AM
The kind of humor one needs (from the brain of a 7 year old, completing a vocab assignment) in this moment in America.
Part 4, a two-day trek to Green Bay area (w/ my pint-sized sidekick): West Bend, Random Lake, Sheboygan, Chilton, Hilbert, Manitowoc, Gilbert, Coleman, Kaukauna, Appleton and Beaver Dam… one of the stores is called “Mini Gualmar” which you should try reading in Spanish 🤪
January 6, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Part 4, a two-day trek to Green Bay area (w/ my pint-sized sidekick): West Bend, Random Lake, Sheboygan, Chilton, Hilbert, Manitowoc, Gilbert, Coleman, Kaukauna, Appleton and Beaver Dam… one of the stores is called “Mini Gualmar” which you should try reading in Spanish 🤪
Also take a look at this editor’s note — and the care these reporters took in getting the story right, without pulling any punches in this absolutely enraging story
December 30, 2024 at 1:18 PM
Also take a look at this editor’s note — and the care these reporters took in getting the story right, without pulling any punches in this absolutely enraging story
Part 3 of guide distribution: I was lucky to have my awesome kid join me on a 430+ mile trip to Fort Atkinson, Jefferson, Madison, Dodgeville, Fennimore, Platteville, Darlington and Monroe, Wisc., to visit tienditas, an attorney’s office, a clinic, a food pantry and, yes, a pupusa shop for lunch 😋
December 24, 2024 at 3:07 AM
Part 3 of guide distribution: I was lucky to have my awesome kid join me on a 430+ mile trip to Fort Atkinson, Jefferson, Madison, Dodgeville, Fennimore, Platteville, Darlington and Monroe, Wisc., to visit tienditas, an attorney’s office, a clinic, a food pantry and, yes, a pupusa shop for lunch 😋
When your husband likes trying to make things out of wood to help you make things out of flour 🍝😋
December 22, 2024 at 10:48 PM
When your husband likes trying to make things out of wood to help you make things out of flour 🍝😋
I am happy to report I’ve found just the right thing to do while in dr’s waiting rooms and on the train. Here’s the beginning of Scarf No. 2 for 2024.
December 19, 2024 at 10:28 PM
I am happy to report I’ve found just the right thing to do while in dr’s waiting rooms and on the train. Here’s the beginning of Scarf No. 2 for 2024.