A mother of three from South Los Angeles was reportedly taken at gunpoint by two men in unmarked vehicles. Her family and supporters say she was abducted without cause and are now urgently asking for answers.
Yuriana Juliana “Juli” Pelaez Calderon, a longtime local resident and activist, vanished on June 25 while heading to work. Friends and family say two men with guns forced her into a car. She managed to call her family later and explain what happened.
During her call, Calderon said she was not brought to a known detention center. Instead, she said she was driven to the U.S.–Mexico border at San Ysidro. There, she was told to sign voluntary deportation papers.
When Calderon refused and asked to speak with a lawyer or see a judge, she was moved again. This time, she was placed in a van with others who had also refused to sign. They were taken to a warehouse with no officials present. According to her family’s attorney, she was not given food and was only offered water.
“She was held in a place with no staff, no legal process, and no way to get help,” the attorney stated. “This kind of treatment is not how any system should work.”
Since her capture, Calderon has managed to make two short phone calls. She told her family she still does not know where she is. She believes the people holding her may be bounty hunters. Others are being held with her in the same unknown warehouse.
Despite her calls, her name does not appear on the ICE detainee locator. Lawyers and advocates say they are unsure whether she is in ICE, CBP custody, or held by a private group. Her exact location remains a mystery.
Calderon has lived in South LA for over 20 years. She is a known member of a local community group that supports working families. Her work focused on helping immigrant communities and fighting for housing rights.
Her sudden disappearance has sparked protests. Community leaders are calling it an illegal and frightening act. They say this is not the first time armed men in unmarked cars have taken someone.
“We need to know where Juli is,” said a local organizer. “This cannot keep happening. People cannot just disappear in the United States.”
At a press event on Monday, Calderon’s family and supporters urged leaders to act. They shared how scared they are and how painful it is not knowing where she is.
“Imagine a mother calling her daughter, saying two cars are following her, and then she vanishes,” a longtime friend said. “She did what she thought was right—she went toward safety. But instead, she was taken.”
Loved ones say many other families have faced similar cases. They stress that it’s unclear who took her or under what authority they acted.
“This is not just one family’s pain,” her friend added. “We need to know if these are officials, contractors, or others. Whoever it is, it must stop.”
As the Fourth of July nears, the fear of more immigration raids has led to canceled events across Southern California. People in the community are now living in fear, unsure who they can trust.
The South LA mom abducted case has raised serious concerns about the use of force, the lack of due process, and the absence of official oversight in such incidents.
Her family and legal team are urging authorities to investigate. They want her returned safely and those responsible to be held accountable.
