OTHELLO —Eighteen-year-old Raul Gomez-Eudave woke up on a Saturday morning earlier this month to a flood of missed calls and text messages. 

When he unlocked his phone, his heart dropped. 

They were videos and photos of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents searching through his mother's belongings. And then another video of his mother, Micaela Eudave, handcuffed and being led away Feb. 8. 

"All the messages were asking me, 'Is this your mom?'" Gomez-Eudave said. "I didn't want to believe it." 

Her arrest has alarmed the community in Othello and left her son, Gomez-Eudave, a student at Othello High School, to cope with her absence as he takes on the responsibility of managing their food truck, Tacos Michoacan. 

"I thought they were going to pick up people with criminal backgrounds, who would just not be good for society," Gomez-Eudave said. "My mom's never done anything wrong." 

After looking at the background from where the videos were taken, he recognized the spot where she was detained. He quickly drove there and discovered the only thing left was her car. 

He called his older brother and then his older sister to tell them what happened. 

After that, he called his close family friend, Rosa Garcia. As Gomez-Eudave wept and told her what had happened, she couldn't believe it. 

"She doesn't drink. She doesn't smoke. All she does is work," Garcia said in Spanish. "She's such a hard worker and such a good person. I couldn't understand why this would happen to her." 

"Since I've known her, all she does is work and put her efforts into her business," Garcia added. "She has no criminal record, she does her taxes. ... I don't know. It's just unfair. I care for her like a sister." 

President Donald Trump has promised to deport people in the country without documentation since before he took office again last month, leading to widespread fear in some communities as the crackdowns have ramped up. 

The tears, grief and trauma of Eudave's arrest in this quiet central Washington town stand in stark contrast to the gleeful White House post on social media platform X showing people detained at the ICE center in Tacoma being shackled and led onto waiting aircraft for deportation. 

'An experience I wouldn't want anybody else to experience' 

Viviana Gomez, Raul Gomez-Eudave's aunt on his dad's side, said she received a call from law enforcement using Micaela Eudave's phone to arrange for a family member to retrieve her purse and keys from the Adams County Sheriff's Office. 

When she got there, a deputy was standing outside with her belongings. 

"I've known Micaela since a bit before Raul was born, and for her to get detained that early in the morning, if anything, she was just on her way to work," said Gomez, who works at the food truck. "She's always been so responsible, so hardworking. I was in shock." 

Gomez said that while she was there, she tried to ask for more information about the arrest of Eudave, who is originally from Mexico. The sheriff's office was not forthcoming. 

Gomez-Eudave didn't hear from his mom for several days. 

"We tried to talk to the sheriff's office, but they said they didn't make any arrests, so then we tried to go to Yakima to try to find, like a facility to go to find her, and then nothing. So from there, we went to Tacoma that same day," Gomez-Eudave said. "When we got there, they said that she hadn't gotten processed yet, so we came back, and I didn't hear anything until Tuesday when she gave me a call. 

"She called the taco truck phone because she didn't remember my phone number, and that's where we are at. It's an experience I wouldn't want anybody else to experience." 

The Adams County Sheriff's Office, when asked by InvestigateWest and Cascade PBS about assisting with federal immigration enforcement efforts, responded with a statement from the Washington Association of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs. 

"The resulting benefits to Washington residents have included the dismantling and interruption of cartel level drug trafficking organizations, human trafficking rings, organized crime groups, illegal gun manufacturing and trafficking, terrorist groups, and many other safety threats to our communities," the statement reads. 

"Local law enforcement is also routinely called upon to assist Federal Law Enforcement with operations in their communities. When requested, the role of local law enforcement is primarily to be on stand-by while federal agencies conduct their operations, for the purposes of officer and subject safety. These joint operations focus specifically on criminal acts, not immigration status. It is also worth noting that immigration status should not protect or impede investigation or prosecution of any person involved in a state crime." 

Karen Hickey, records clerk at the Adam's County Sheriff's Office, said they don't have records of ICE arrests. 

"If ICE did not book their inmate into the Adams County Jail we will have no record," she added. 

ICE hasn't responded to an inquiry on Eudave's arrest. 

Erin Hall, Eudave's attorney, said she is still investigating whether she has a prior ICE or CBP order of removal, which the officers who arrested her had mentioned. However, because it's unclear, she said confirming that will make a huge difference in her case. 

Holding onto hope 

Since his mom's arrest, Raul Gomez-Eudave said he's been heading directly from school to the food truck, taking orders, greeting customers and making sure it's run the way his mom would've managed it. 

When it's gotten stressful, there have been moments when he'll dial his mom to ask a question, only to suddenly remember he can't. 

"My mom is my best friend," Gomez-Eudave said. "Me and my mom have always had each other's backs through everything." 

When he learned about his mom, he reached out to his principal and counselors for guidance. They offered him support and resources as he tried to navigate his mom's arrest — especially with his high school graduation so close. 

Before his mom's ICE arrest, he wanted to move to Spokane and pursue radiology. Now, that future feels uncertain. 

"They told me I'm not alone and gave me support," Gomez-Eudave said. "I really appreciated it. ... One of my teachers also stopped by and gave me papers on immigration and what to do, which was really nice." 

The Othello School District issued a statement last month reaffirming its commitment to supporting its students regardless of background. In addition, the district outlined protocols on how to address a situation if immigration enforcement attempts to go on school grounds. 

"As the national discussion around immigration policies evolve we recognize the concerns on behalf of our students, staff, and families," the statement reads. "We recently hosted an informational evening to help support families with resources and legal guidance on how to navigate this complex and divisive issue." 

The school district declined to comment, stating they can't speak on a specific student's situation. 

Last month, Gov. Bob Ferguson created a family separation rapid response team to protect families of undocumented residents as President Donald Trump continues to call for mass deportations. 

The team operates within the Department of Children, Youth and Families, and includes representatives from the Washington State Patrol, the Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance, the attorney general's office and the governor's office. They had their first meeting earlier this month. 

"The goal of this team is to address the harms caused by President Trump's immigration enforcement policies," Ferguson said last month during his announcement. "The harms are obvious. And the word 'harms' is not even the right word, right? It goes beyond that." 

The rapid response team is tasked with reviewing policies and identifying changes that could help separated families, and also with working with schools to develop policies to mitigate disruptions to education in that event. 

Even with the uncertainty of his mom's detainment and his future upended, Gomez-Eudave remains optimistic. 

Just a few days ago, he went to his barber for a clean fade. But this time, he wanted to add something different. He asked his barber to put a cross design on the left side of his haircut — as a small symbol of his faith. 

"I believe God has a plan for me and my family," Gomez-Eudave said. 

When he called Garcia, the first thing she said was to pray. 

"I told him, 'We have to pray. We have to pray that everything will be OK and put it in the hands of God,' " Garcia recounted in Spanish. "Only He knows." 

Before his mom was detained, Raul said she would listen to Christian music around the house and attend church services on Sundays. 

"Faith means everything to me," he said. "You can't do anything without faith. I think he's putting me on this path for a reason." 

An American dream 'turned into a nightmare' 

When the Othello community learned of Micaela Eudave's ICE detention, they were surprised and fearful, but most of all ready to take action. 

Among them was Dimini Flores, who peacefully protested last Saturday in Othello. She doesn't know Eudave or the family personally, but the news affected her. 

"It broke my heart," she said. 

The protest unfolded along main street, where at least 100 people gathered and waved Mexican and American flags. Their message was clear: Immigrants are an essential part of Othello, and they won't stand by in silence. 

"Honestly, we're just trying to be there for one another," Flores said. "We're trying to show them that not all of us lack compassion and empathy." 

As a U.S. citizen, Flores said immigration policies don't directly affect her, but that hasn't stopped her from standing up for those who can't speak for themselves. 

"(Latinos) apply for the jobs and they do the jobs that most Americans, honestly, will not even apply for," Flores said. "We may not be able to change the laws, but we are going to show them that we support them, and we are going to show them how important they are to America." 

She emphasized that many immigrants in the United States worked hard and have paid taxes for decades in the belief they are on a journey to better the lives of themselves and their families. 

"They thought they were living the American dream this entire time," Flores said. "That turned into a nightmare." 

For Gabby Diaz's family, that nightmare has had consequences over the past couple of weeks. 

Her parents have owned Tu Taqueria since 2009, when they moved to Othello from Mount Vernon. But since Trump took office — and especially after Eudave's arrest — business has dropped. 

"We saw a dramatic drop in our people coming over, but it wasn't just us; it was other taco trucks too," she said. 

Still, that hasn't stopped her and her parents from speaking out for community members and business owners. Diaz was also among those protesting on Saturday, holding a sign that said, "We are hardworking people, not criminals." 

"I just feel like we have to be there for one another and support everybody's businesses and let everybody know that their struggle is our struggle as well," Diaz said. 

She believes Othello is a place where neighbors take care of one another, especially the kids. 

"These are real issues, and within our communities, we look after everybody's kids. When we're out in public, and kids are going home and we are not there, it would be devastating," Diaz said. "We would all want that same support." 

Raul Gomez-Eudave experienced the community's unwavering support when he organized a Valentine's Day fundraiser to help cover expenses and support his mom any way he could. 

With nearly 500 shares on Facebook, community members from all over Othello and surrounding areas showed up in overwhelming numbers, rallying behind the family's business the day of the event. 

"I'd never seen the business that busy. I really appreciated what my community has been doing for my mom," he said. "It made me really happy, and I know it made her really happy too when I told her." 

'What's going to happen to our fields?' 

When she was 14 years old, Fatima Martinez-Ramos, now 20, said she would arise at 3 a.m., commute to work by 4 a.m., and be at the fields by 7 a.m. working until the sun would set, even on the hottest of days. 

"It was more of a choice, because my parents wouldn't let me, and even then, my mom would guard me with her whole life," Martinez-Ramos said. 

Martinez-Ramos was born and raised in Othello after her parents immigrated to the state of Washington for work before she was born. They sought opportunity and a better life for their children. 

"My dad made it up to kindergarten and my mom made it up to eighth grade. They didn't have those opportunities in Mexico that I have now," Martinez-Ramos said. 

Her family has been close friends of Eudave for many years. When she heard about the arrest, she couldn't help but feel a flood of emotions. 

"I wasn't there to read her her rights," Martinez-Ramos said. "It broke my heart. She's never done anything wrong." 

Despite Eudave's struggles as a single mother, Martinez-Ramos always admired her work ethic and dedication. She described Eudave as a bright soul that nobody can dim. 

"She has the most contagious laugh," Martinez-Ramos said. "And her food can really bring people together." 

Martinez-Ramos' own family knows the heartbreak of deportation battles firsthand. Her grandfather was detained a few years ago. The judge told her family his case has "no hope." Now, they are saving money to support him when he is deported to Mexico. 

But with ICE arrests on the rise, her fears have only grown — especially for her parents, whose immigration status remains uncertain. 

"My mom is an agricultural worker and my dad works at an egg farm," Martinez-Ramos said. "Trust me when I say everybody is terrified. 

"One of my closest friends went to go check on her dad's row (at a field he works in), and when they saw her truck, they ran in fear." 

In Othello, a town that is nearly 77% Hispanic, many families depend on agricultural work. This leaves Martinez-Ramos and Flores wondering what would become of the county if mass deportation raids were to sweep through. 

"Let's just say they do all get deported. What's going to happen? What's going to happen to our orchards? What's going to happen to our fields?" Flores said. 

Gomez said she never thought an arrest would happen in Adams County, let alone in Othello and to Eudave. 

"We had been seeing there were raids in other states, so now it's crazy to see that it's happening in our communities and to somebody that is so close to us," Gomez said. 

Martinez-Ramos, who is a student at Columbia Basin College, said she is focusing on advocating for farmworkers and immigrants in her community and will be heading to Washington, D.C., in the next couple of months for a conference. 

She's hoping that her trip as a young student from a rural town will empower other young activists fighting for immigrants, farm workers and essential Hispanic-owned businesses, like in Othello. 

"My parents could be next, but I'm not gonna let that happen," Martinez-Ramos said. "That's why I'm into activism because I know I can change something, even if it's a little bit, or even if it's one person." 

Correction: Martinez-Ramos's grandfather's arrest by ICE and the details are unclear and the Columbia Basin Herald is working to clarify the issue. If he was arrested in 2016, that would have been during Barack Obama's second term. Donald Trump's first term began in January 2017.

    Raul Gomez-Eudave puts up St. Patrick’s Day decorations around his mom’s food truck, “Tacos Michoacan” on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. Usually, his mom will put up the decorations for each holiday. However, since she got detained by ICE, he said he is making sure he decorates the way she would’ve done.