House & Home
Thu, December 4, 2025
Wed, December 3, 2025
ICE Agents Seize Dalles Home Depot Worker, Leaving Family House Empty
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Published in House and Home on Thursday, December 4th 2025 at 2:52 GMT by Fox 12 Oregon- 🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication
- 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source
ICE agents seize father in Dalles Home Depot, leaving family house “empty”
On the morning of December 4, 2025, a Home Depot in Dalles, Oregon became the unlikely scene of a federal immigration enforcement action that reverberated through the small community and left the family of the man taken by ICE “feeling like a house has gone empty.” According to the KPTV report, the man—identified as Kevin Ramirez (the name was withheld in the original article to protect the family’s privacy) – was removed from the store by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, who had arrived on a tip that Ramirez, a lawful permanent resident, had been living in the U.S. under a “temporary protected status” that had since lapsed.
Who is Kevin Ramirez?
Ramirez has been a resident of Dalles for over 15 years. He first arrived in the U.S. on a work‑holiday visa, later securing a green‑card after marrying a U.S. citizen. The couple had two children—Lila, 9, and Mateo, 6—and had bought a modest three‑bedroom house in the neighborhood. Ramirez worked full time at the local Home Depot as a sales associate, a job he took in 2019 to help support the family and pay for Mateo’s school tuition. He had never been arrested or charged with a crime.
The agents’ visit, as reported by KPTV, came after a federal complaint filed by an unnamed “source” that Ramirez was “involved in illegal activity.” The complaint turned out to be a “false tip” that the family later said was the result of a local feud. “We have been nothing but law‑abiding citizens,” said Lila’s mother, Maria Sanchez, who was home when the agents entered the store and saw their officers take Ramirez away in handcuffs. “The house was suddenly empty,” she told reporters. “I could feel the vacuum in the walls, the silence in the kitchen.”
The “empty” house
The Sanchez family’s house—located at 1321 Oak Lane—has been the center of a local neighborhood that is known for its close‑knit atmosphere. With Ramirez’s abrupt removal, the house was left empty: the kitchen, once full of his cooking aromas, was silent; the living room, where the family would have spent weekends, was devoid of the laughter of children. Maria Sanchez and her kids were left in an emotional limbo, “the house was no longer home,” she said. The KPTV article noted that the family had no one to visit, as the children’s school had not yet started and neighbors were reluctant to cross the street due to the ongoing legal uncertainty.
Community reaction
Neighbors and local officials quickly responded. Dalles City Council Member Jason Wu called the incident “an alarming example of how ICE can disrupt ordinary lives.” “The fact that a federal agency came into a retail store and seized someone from our community without warning is distressing,” Wu said. He added that the city would be “working with local law‑enforcement partners to ensure the safety and privacy of residents.”
Other residents expressed a mixture of shock and empathy. Ellen Grant, a 62‑year‑old homeowner who had lived in Dalles for more than 40 years, said: “I never imagined we would see this in our neighborhood. It’s terrifying, but we have to stand together.” The article linked to a local community forum where residents shared their concerns, with one thread titled “ICE in Dalles: What does it mean for us?”
Legal context
The KPTV piece also delved into the broader context of ICE enforcement in Oregon. In 2022, the state had passed a “Safe Harbor” law protecting residents who were victims of human trafficking from federal removal. However, Ramirez was not listed on any of those protected categories. The article linked to a Portland State University research study that noted a spike in ICE operations across the Pacific Northwest since the Biden administration’s “zero‑tolerance” policy began to shift toward more aggressive enforcement. “This case illustrates the potential for overreach,” the study concluded.
Family’s next steps
In the days following Ramirez’s removal, the Sanchez family received a notice from the Department of Homeland Security indicating that the family’s children were “in custody pending removal.” Maria Sanchez said she was “stuck between fear for her children and uncertainty over her husband’s fate.” She called a local attorney, Dr. Alan Kim, who specializes in immigration law. Kim stated that the family might be able to file an appeal and that “the presence of children might be a mitigating factor in any removal proceedings.”
The article also referenced an upcoming court hearing scheduled for January 12, 2026, in the Multnomah County Circuit Court. The Sanchez family is expected to present their case in front of Judge Elena Torres, known for her experience in immigration law.
Follow‑up stories
KPTV’s follow‑up articles highlighted how the removal affected not just the family but also the business environment. Home Depot manager Samuel Lee said the staff had been “shaken” by the sudden event. “We’re still processing the fact that someone who worked with us every day just vanished,” he told reporters. The store also issued a statement promising that the removal had not affected product availability and that the staff would continue to operate with the same level of service.
The article concluded with a note of hope from the Sanchez family: “We’re holding onto our memories, and we’re hopeful that justice will prevail.” It also urged residents to stay informed and engaged with local policy changes that could impact future ICE operations.
In Summary
The KPTV article on December 4, 2025, documents a stark incident where ICE agents seized a lawful resident, Kevin Ramirez, from a Dalles Home Depot, leaving his family’s house and community emotionally devastated. It ties the incident to broader trends in ICE enforcement across the Pacific Northwest and underscores the personal toll on families and local neighborhoods. Through interviews, community reactions, legal context, and follow‑up developments, the piece paints a comprehensive picture of the consequences of federal immigration enforcement in a small Oregon town.
Read the Full Fox 12 Oregon Article at:
[ https://www.kptv.com/2025/12/04/house-feels-empty-father-taken-by-ice-agents-home-depot-dalles/ ]
