ICE Detains Salvadoran Woman Without Warrant or Evidence

• ICE detains Salvadoran woman without legal grounds
• CNN reports alarming lack of evidence
• Family and lawyers demand due process

The case of Elsy Noemí Berrios, a 52-year-old Salvadoran mother arrested by federal agents on March 31, has sparked public outcry and accusations of a lack of transparency by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

While her daughter and legal team defend her character and legal status in the U.S., authorities have—without presenting evidence—accused her of ties to the MS-13 gang.

Berrios was arrested in Westminster, Maryland, while on her way to work with her daughter, Karen Cruz Berrios. A video recorded by her daughter shows agents wearing tactical vests labeled “Federal Agent” ordering Berrios out of the car.

She refused and asked to see a warrant. One officer bluntly responded, “I don’t need to show you the warrant.” Seconds later, they broke the driver’s side window, forcibly removed her, and placed her in handcuffs.

ICE Detains Salvadoran Woman Without Warrant or Evidence

A recently released video shows ICE agents breaking a woman’s car window to arrest her. The woman, 52-year-old Maryland resident Elsy Noemi Berrios, was forcibly detained by masked agents who did not present a warrant. pic.twitter.com/x7u8cwrqyn

– TRT World (@trtworld) April 10, 2025

“You can’t just take her because you want to!” her daughter shouted during the video.

“Don’t worry, my love, I’m okay,” Berrios replied amid the chaos.

Since her arrest, DHS has released no evidence to support its claims.

Her attorneys have also been denied access to documents justifying the detention.

Lawyers Demand Proof

 

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“DHS has provided us with no evidence linking our client to MS-13, and she denies any involvement or association,” said Raymond Griffith, one of Berrios’s attorneys.

A bond hearing and motion to compel evidence were scheduled for Monday.

Elsy Noemí Berrios Has No Criminal Record and Active Asylum Case

According to public records reviewed by CNN, Elsy Noemí Berrios has no criminal history.

She was first detained in 2017 after entering the U.S. irregularly but was later released under ICE’s “Alternatives to Detention” program. In 2023, her deportation proceedings were dropped, and she immediately filed for asylum—granting her a valid work permit.

At the time of her arrest, she was working at a custom clothing factory.

“She has no criminal past and did everything right. She’s a good mother who raised me and my three siblings alone,” said her 18-year-old daughter.

Concerns Rise in Salvadoran Community

 

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The lack of transparency and aggressive tactics have alarmed members of Maryland’s Salvadoran community. For immigrant activist Jorge Benítez Pérez, the case revives painful stigmas:

“Since we arrived, we’ve been labeled gang members. Seeing these raids and deportations of people who fled violence fills us with rage and helplessness.”

Elsy Noemí Berrios’ case follows another controversial deportation: Kilmar Armando Abrego García, also Salvadoran and a father of three, was recently deported to the CECOT high-security prison in El Salvador over alleged MS-13 links.

As in Berrios’s case, no evidence has been shown, and the deportation is now under judicial review.

Maryland Officials Demand Federal Transparency

 

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The administration of Maryland Governor Wes Moore has also demanded answers.

“Our Constitution guarantees due process so individuals know what they’re being accused of and get their day in court,” said Carter Elliott IV, the governor’s press secretary.

“We urge the federal government to provide clarity to this family and ensure all laws and policies were followed during this process.”

Meanwhile, Elsy Noemí Berrios remains in ICE custody at a rural Pennsylvania processing center, as her family and legal team fight for her release and fear she could be deported without a fair trial.

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