Torture and Horrific Conditions Under Trump’s Mass Deportations

Immigration attorney Margo Cowan painted a stark picture of escalating enforcement tactics and human rights violations, describing the current situation for undocumented immigrants as “horrific.”

Cowan, who leads the immigrant advocacy organization Keep Tucson Together, detailed several disturbing incidents – including torture — that illustrate the cruelty of the current crackdown.

She spoke recently at a meeting of the Green Valley Democrats.

Mother Never Returned from Grocery Store

The most striking case involved a Venezuelan woman with Temporary Protected Status who was stopped by a Tucson police officer at 9:30 p.m. while going to the grocery store with two of her four children. According to Cowan, the officer’s first words were “let me see your documents” — not related to any traffic violation.

“She was deported by 5:00 a.m. the next day on a military aircraft,” Cowan told the audience. “There’s no other explanation. The government can’t call up American Airlines and say, ‘Will you take this lady to Reynosa, Mexico?'”

The woman’s husband and two other children were left waiting at home, not knowing what happened when she never returned from the grocery store.

Torture By Local Police

Cowan also described what she characterized as torture by local police, recounting an incident involving four family members — a grandfather, father, and two sons — who were stopped and handcuffed for an hour despite having legal status.

“They had cuts on each of their wrists,” Cowan said. “We’re not talking about ‘I’m sorry, I’m going to have to cuff you, it won’t hurt.’ No, there’s out-and-out torture of people to scare them to death.”

She noted the cuts were positioned “right on top of a serious artery,” suggesting deliberate placement to maximize intimidation.

Contradiction of Official Policy

The incidents contradict public statements from local law enforcement leadership. Cowan said both Tucson’s police chief and Pima County sheriff have stated their departments would not collaborate with Border Patrol, but “that’s not what we’re seeing in the street.”

She has raised these concerns with county supervisors, the mayor, and city council members, demanding documentation of the apparent policy violations.

Justice for All Campaign

The centerpiece of Cowan’s presentation was promoting the Justice for All ballot initiative, which would create Arizona’s first public defender office specifically for non-citizens facing deportation proceedings who cannot afford private attorneys.

The campaign fell short by 10,000 signatures in the previous election cycle. This time, Cowan has set a goal of 80,000 signatures by July 1, 2026.

“We would be the first border county to do this in the country,” Cowan said, estimating that 99% of undocumented immigrants would qualify for appointed counsel under the program’s income guidelines.

Community Protection Network

Keep Tucson Together / Mantenga Tucson Unido has developed an unusual security arrangement, with volunteers from the Green Valley and Tucson Samaritans sitting in their offices daily to provide a protective presence against potential immigration raids.

“To the folks that work in the clinic, that’s like a million dollars,” she said of the community support.

Systematic Changes Under Trump

Beyond individual cases, Cowan described broader policy changes that have eliminated traditional legal rights. The elimination of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans just days before her speech has left many families in legal limbo.

“I’ve been doing this for way too long, and I’ve never seen this kind of position where I could not prepare an asylum application for someone and file it,” she said, describing the breakdown of previously reliable administrative processes.

Keep Tucson Together, which has helped create over 4,000 new U.S. citizens, operates on a “community serving community” model free legal services and education.

Cowan’s concluded with an urgent call for petition signatures and volunteer support, emphasizing that the ballot initiative represents the community’s best hope for providing due process protections in an increasingly hostile enforcement environment.