Court Grants Preliminary Injunction, Blocking ICE from Re-Detaining Bay Area Organizer and Tattoo Artist, Guillermo Medina Reyes Until a Hearing Before an Immigration Judge

Media Contacts: 

Esperanza Cuautle, esperanza@pangealegal.org; 415-271-5644

Alex Mensing, alex@ccijustice.org, 415-684-5463

For Immediate Release

July 18, 2025

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — In a powerful rebuke of ICE’s retaliatory efforts, a federal court today granted a preliminary injunction protecting Guillermo Medina Reyes, a beloved Bay Area tattoo artist, organizer, and immigrant rights advocate, from being immediately re-detained by immigration authorities. U.S. District Judge Rita Lin’s order means that Guillermo will be provided a bond hearing before an immigration judge to determine whether or not he will remain free, and confirming that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cannot unilaterally decide to re-detain someone in Guillermo’s position who was released on bond by an immigration judge.

“I can finally breathe a little. For weeks, I haven’t been able to sleep, constantly afraid that ICE could show up at any moment. The stress, the uncertainty—it’s been paralyzing. This ruling doesn’t erase the fear or the pain, but it gives me a chance, a chance to be seen by a judge, to be heard, to fight. After all we’ve done to defend my freedom, that chance means everything” said Guillermo Medina Reyes.

“This victory belongs to the community, whose relentless organizing, courtroom presence, and unwavering solidarity made clear that we will not let our people be disappeared without a fight,” said Esperanza Cuautle, Community Organizer and Co-Director of Pangea Legal Services.

Guillermo, who has lived in the U.S. since he was six years old, has long been a target of ICE due to his outspoken advocacy against detention and deportation. He previously spent 15 months in ICE custody, where he organized mutual aid, led hunger and labor strikes, and exposed abuse at the hands of ICE and private prison contractor GEO Group. Since his release, he has continued to be a force for healing and justice through his art and organizing.

“This ruling is a critical step—but it is not the end. The court’s decision affirms that collective action can win real protection, but it does not change the fact that the legal system is not designed to serve our people,” said Victoria Sun, Guillermo’s attorney and Co-Director at Pangea Legal Services. “Courts may offer temporary relief, but they cannot deliver the lasting justice and safety our communities deserve. Guillermo should never have been targeted in the first place—and we should not have to fight this hard to keep our loved ones free.”

While this preliminary injunction offers urgent but temporary protection, the legal case is not over. A case management deadline is set for July 29, where the court will determine the next steps in reviewing Guillermo’s habeas petition.

Nevertheless, yesterday’s decision affirms what we’ve always known: when we organize, we win. Guillermo’s freedom was not granted by the goodwill of the courts, but secured by the power of a community that refused to be silent. That’s why we continue to organize—not just for individual wins, but for a world where no one is criminalized, detained, or deported. We cannot rely on the courts to protect us, but we can build systems rooted in care, healing, and community.

###