The Bay ‘It’s Inhumane’: After Sunnyvale Father’s Deportation, Family Trauma Lingers
Mar 27, 2026
Taiki Hendricks, KQED senior immigration editor who covers enforcement and policy. He tells the story of Ulises Peña-Lopez’s arrest and alleged beating. He describes months in detention with limited medical care. He explains the family’s struggles after deportation and what this case reveals about shifts in ICE enforcement.
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Violent Morning Arrest Outside Sunnyvale Home
- Ulises Peña-Lopez was violently arrested by ICE outside his Sunnyvale home in front of his wife Aby and their three-year-old daughter Emily.
- Agents smashed his car window, pulled him out, kicked and beat him, then handcuffed and drove off while Emily screamed, leaving the family traumatized.
Medical Crisis Followed By Prolonged Detention
- After the beating Ulises likely suffered a heart attack and stroke and woke up in a hospital handcuffed to the bed with ICE agents guarding him.
- He then spent eight months in detention with limited medical care before being deported to Mexico.
Use Rapid Response And Legal Nonprofits After Arrests
- The family connected with Rapid Response and nonprofit legal groups who provided immigration representation and filed a federal complaint against ICE.
- Pursue both immigration appeals and civil complaints to challenge deportation and seek accountability.