ICE Arrests Woman After Fatal Crash: Visa Overstay Consequences

ICE Takes Custody After Fatal Phoenix Rollover Crash

On April 16, 2026, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers took custody of Brenda Liliana Rivera-Estrada, a Mexican citizen, at the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office intake facility in Phoenix, Arizona. She faces multiple felony charges related to manslaughter and child abuse. The charges stem from an April 12 rollover crash that killed her 9-year-old daughter, who was ejected from the vehicle, and injured three other children. Police suspected Rivera-Estrada was impaired at the time of the crash.

Rivera-Estrada was initially held on a $100,000 bond. However, the county attorney did not file criminal charges, and she was released from criminal custody. ICE had already placed an immigration detainer — a formal request to hold someone for immigration authorities — on her while she was booked. That detainer allowed ICE to take her into custody the same day she was released from the county jail.

ICE says Rivera-Estrada entered the United States on February 14, 2009, through Nogales, Arizona. She entered as a nonimmigrant border-crosser (a short-term visitor) with permission to stay for up to 30 days. She stayed beyond that period, which is a violation of US immigration law known as a visa overstay. She has now been in the US without legal status for over 17 years. ERO Phoenix Deputy Field Office Director Alejandro Almeida said her case will be decided by the Department of Justice's immigration courts, known as the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). Rivera-Estrada will remain in ICE custody while her immigration case moves forward.

What This Means: Removal Proceedings and Your Rights

When ICE places someone in removal proceedings (the official legal process to deport a person), that person has the right to appear before an immigration judge. The judge decides whether the person can stay in the US or must leave. This process happens inside the immigration court system, separate from criminal courts. Even people with serious criminal accusations have the right to a hearing. In this case, ICE noted that Rivera-Estrada may use any available legal options — including appeals — to fight her removal.

What to Do If You or Someone You Know Is in a Similar Situation

• Contact an immigration lawyer immediately. If ICE arrests you or a family member, you have the right to speak with an attorney. Lawyers recommend calling a lawyer before saying anything to ICE officers.
• Know your deadlines. Once a removal order is issued, you have 30 days to file an appeal. If you miss this window, your options become very limited. A motion to reopen your case must be filed within 90 days of the removal order.
• Ask about bond at your immigration hearing. You may be able to request a bond hearing so you are not held in detention while your case is decided. An immigration lawyer can help you prepare for this.
• Do not ignore an immigration detainer or court notice. Failing to appear in immigration court almost always results in a removal order issued in your absence, which is much harder to fight later.