Ervin Gonzalez, an undocumented El Paso woman and domestic abuse survivor, was ambushed and arrested inside a courthouse just as the judge was granting her a protective order from her abuser.

It gets worse: her attorneys believe that it was her abuser who tipped federal immigration agents about her undocumented status.

This is horrifying and should not have happened. Undocumented survivors already avoid reporting their abusers for fear of deportation or being separated from their children. This likely violates provisions in the Violence Against Women Act.

This is not who we are. It's up to us to stand together to protect each other.

The good news is that this story has gotten widespread attention overnight. Immigration officials have discretionary authority--that means they can choose to release Gonzalez and stop targeting immigrant survivors. If thousands of us generate enough outrage while this story is still in the headlines, immigration officials will be pressured to release Gonzalez and stop targeting survivors of violence for deportation.