PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A local advocacy group is fighting for the release of Arbella “Yari” Rodriguez Marquez from ICE custody at the Eloy Detention Center due to her health’s rapid deterioration from cancer.
“We’re worried that she can be the next person that dies inside those migrant walls,” said Sonix Flores, the Director of Media and Culture for Trans Queer Pueblo.
Flores said Yari has been at the Eloy Detention Center for five months after she was detained on her way back from Mexico at a border checkpoint in February.
She said Yari got her green card two years ago and was a permanent resident of Phoenix. However, her residency was revoked when she went into custody, according to Flores.
“If you were to ask anyone who’s been through any illness or cancer, they’ll say it’s hard. Now, imagine that while isolated away from your family and in a facility that’s not taking care of you correctly,” said Flores.
Yari has Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, and Flores said she’s only getting basic medication that’s not helping.
“(She’s) lost 55 pounds. Her skin is having bruises and blotches. I actually personally saw her last Sunday and one thing that I noticed, and she showed me, was how swollen her hands were,” said Flores.
According to Flores, Yari was denied parole. Soon after, Flores started an online petition urging the field director of Eloy to release Yari so she can get the medicine she needs before it’s too late.
“Right now, we’re fighting for her life. That’s how we see it,” said Flores.
Arizona’s Family reached out to the Eloy Detention Center and received an email response from a spokesperson who wrote, “The federal government’s ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC) is responsible for contracting, staffing and oversight of any medical and mental health services provided at EDC.”
A media spokesperson for ICE acknowledged they received our request for comment, but Arizona’s Family did not hear back again.
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Copyright 2025 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.