Family, advocates protest ICE arrest of man in Lower Providence Township
Family and advocates protest ICE arrest of man in Montgomery County
Family and supporters rallied near the spot where Jose Cordova-Lopez was taken into ICE custody on Monday, demanding answers and accountability from authorities.
LOWER PROVIDENCE TWP., P.a. - Family and supporters rallied near the spot where Jose Cordova-Lopez was taken into ICE custody on Monday, demanding answers and accountability from authorities.
Family and advocates protest ICE arrest in Montgomery County
Family members say ICE agents forcibly entered their home Monday, frightening young children before taking Cordova-Lopez into custody.
Lupe Lopez, his cousin, said, "All of this is just so unfair. And it just hurts a lot," and described how the experience has left her younger brothers traumatized. "Every little noise, somebody knocks at the door, we jump, we get scared," said Lopez.
What they're saying:
Supporters at the rally called for Cordova-Lopez’s release and for those involved to be held responsible.
"He must be released, the agents involved must be held accountable, the family must be compensated," one supporter said.
Jasmine Rivera, executive director of the Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition, added, "There should be no communication, no data sharing, no collaboration with ICE agents or any other agent for immigration purposes."
Family members declined to comment on the allegations in federal court documents but said the situation has deeply affected their family, including young children who are U.S. citizens.
Federal documents detail ICE allegations and arrest
Timeline:
According to federal court documents, Cordova-Lopez was arrested by Lower Providence Township police in August 2025 and charged with driving under the influence, with those charges still pending and a court date set for March.
Documents say Cordova-Lopez entered the United States from Mexico in September 2021 on a temporary agriculture worker visa, which expired in December 2021.
The backstory:
Documents say ICE officers stated they saw a man matching Cordova-Lopez’s description get into a white Jeep Cherokee on North Barry Street on Monday.
Officers activated their lights and sirens to pull the Jeep over, and documents say an officer tried to park in front of the Jeep, but the Jeep struck the officer’s vehicle, drove off, and then returned to its original spot.
Cordova-Lopez reportedly ran inside a home, where a woman shut the door as officers approached.
In a lengthy statement posted on Facebook Lower Providence Township Police stated that officers responded at the request of federal agents after a motor vehicle crash occurred during a federal enforcement operation, adding that officers returned to ensure public safety as a significant number of protesters and observers gathered.
The statement said, in part, "Our officers do not enforce federal immigration law, do not conduct immigration raids, and do not inquire about an individual’s immigration status during routine policing activities."
What we don't know:
It is not yet clear what ICE’s official response is to the family’s demands or the protest, as no statement has been released.
The outcome of Cordova-Lopez’s pending court case and any further legal action remain unknown.
Information from family members, federal court documents, local advocacy groups, and Lower Providence Township police.