The Arrest of Fernando Rocha: A Community Shock

In July 2025, Fernando Alves‑Rocha—a theater manager at Juanita High School in Kirkland, WA—was arrested by ICE agents in his driveway in Monroe. Rocha entered the U.S. legally on a tourist visa in 2018 and filed for asylum just one day before his visa expired. Since then, he had maintained lawful presence and valid work authorization.

His arrest came despite being in legal status, a stark departure from prior norms. As his attorney Adolfo Ojeda‑Casimiro noted, “Up to last year, somebody in his situation would not have been arrested.” The arrest and subsequent detention led his community to raise over $36,000, with $10,000 used to post bond. Lawmakers, including Senator Manka Dhingra and Congresswoman Suzan DelBene, condemned the arrest and called for his immediate release.