The California Mexican restaurant that celebrities sneak into
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Celebrities Who Are Still In Prison
Many celebrities have gone to prison over the years, including comedian Tim Allen and domestic guru Martha Stewart. The men and women in this list have been involved in sex crimes, trafficked huge amounts of drugs, and even committed murder. Some may die while serving out their sentences, while others may disappear from public scrutiny.
Even famous people break the law. Many celebrities have gone to prison over the years, including comedian Tim Allen and domestic guru Martha Stewart. A good chunk of these stars committed minor offenses involving DUI charges or financial crimes. They typically serve rather short sentences and are often (but not always) able to pick up their lives where they left off. Society can be very forgiving when it comes to those who do their time and repent for their crimes.
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Then there are the celebrities whose criminal activities are on an entirely different level, necessitating several years in prison. They’ve committed crimes that are so bad, it’s next to impossible for fans to forget what they did. The men and women in this list have been involved in sex crimes, trafficked huge amounts of drugs, and even committed murder. Some admitted that they broke the law, while others continue to maintain their innocence. Either way, they’re stuck behind bars for a very long time.
It’s unclear what they will do when they’re released from prison. Some may die while serving out their sentences, while others may disappear from public scrutiny. Regardless, their legacies are forever linked to their poor judgment.
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The following article mentions domestic abuse, child abuse, and sexual assault.
Where the Stars Go on Vacation: Celeb-Approved Spots Around the World
Tia Mowry, Ashley Park and Paul Forman have all traveled to Mexico. Rebel Wilson has a family trip to the Cotswolds in rural England. Check out the rest of the celebrity-approved destinations below.
From Ashley Park and Paul Forman’s Mexican couples getaway to Rebel Wilson’s family trip to the Cotswolds in rural England, these celebrity-approved resorts, hotels and destinations are guaranteed to impress.
“Walking into this new season of life, I’m embracing the importance of recharging and finding peace,” Tia Mowry wrote via Instagram of her trip to Jamaica in August 2024, emphasizing the significance of taking time away. “Life is so short — TAKE THE TRIP! Give yourself permission to reset! FILL YOUR OWN CUP!”
Keep scrolling for all of the best celeb-approved vacation spots around the world:
The 20 Best Chilaquiles in Los Angeles ~ L.A. TACO
The dish has become L.A.’s unofficial brunch dish, dotting almost every menu. Greenleaf Cafe serves a plate that gives you the perfect balance of saucy, slightly soft chilaquiles that still provide a good crunch. Taquería Los Anaya is a great place for the casserole style, but there is also a place for this style. The egg is mixed into the savory savory sauce, which has a depth of flavor and is much like Texquiles, much like sour cream and guacamole, and you can top it with any of their protein options, including al pastor and chorizo, including two fried eggs with a runny yolk, or cheese, cilantro, and a bag of totopos (tortilla chips) for a more traditional breakfast.. It’s the kind of neighborhood gem that will likely stay around forever because the food is always comforting, and the staff makes you feel like family. They are served with Mexican rice and a side of refried beans and only topped with essentials like cheese,Carnes Asadas Pancho Lopez, Lincoln Heights.
Yet it’s so easy to get it so, so wrong. Contrary to popular belief, chilaquiles are NOT “breakfast nachos.” They also don’t necessarily work with just any salsa and a bag of totopos (tortilla chips).
We searched Los Angeles for the most delicious chilaquiles it has to offer.
Could we find chilaquiles as satisfying as those we still dream about? Those that you have while vacationing or visiting Mexico.
The answer is yes.
The dish has become L.A.’s unofficial brunch dish, dotting almost every menu, no matter the cuisine. These crispy chilaquiles are protein-packed and have the power to cure the worst hangovers. Trust us on these recommendations. To find these gems, we ate through many soggy and flavorless plates that didn’t quite hit the spot, leaving us with a curated list of some of the best spicy and savory chilaquiles you can find throughout L.A.
Chilaquiles rojos, with Mexican rice, beans with cheese, grilled steak, and two sunny-side-up eggs. Photo via Greenleaf Cafe.
Greenleaf Cafe ~ Whittier
This Whittier community gem is a famous hangout for brunch on the weekends. It’s the kind of neighborhood gem that will likely stay around forever because the food is always comforting, and the staff makes you feel like family. Their green or red chilaquiles are spicy and served with rice and beans and a nice dusting of cheese. While some will argue that chilaquiles should be crispy, others believe they should be soft to an extent. And Greenleaf serves a plate that gives you the perfect balance of saucy, slightly soft chilaquiles that still provide a good crunch.
7203 Greenleaf Ave. Whittier, CA 90602. Closest transit lines and stop: Norwalk Transit Line 7 – “Mar Vista/Greenleaf” or Montebello Bus Lines Routes 10 and 50 – “Philadelphia/Milton.”
Open: Monday through Saturday from 8 A.M. to 8:30 P.M. and Sunday from 8 A.M. to 4 P.M.
Photo via @carnes_asadas_pancho_lopez / Instagram.
Carnes Asadas Pancho Lopez ~ Lincoln Heights
This place is a good example of how a simple plate of chilaquiles doesn’t always need to be loaded to taste good. Here, you will get chilaquiles that taste like they were made at home. Their salsa roja ones are spicy for those who love a little kick with breakfast, and their green salsa is mild. They are served with Mexican rice and a side of refried beans and only topped with essentials like cheese, cilantro, and, as an option, two fried eggs with a runny yolk.
3326 Pasadena Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90031. Closest transit lines and stop: Bus 182 – “Giffin/Avenue 33.”
Open: Tuesday and Wednesday from 9:30 A.M. to 4 P.M., Thursday and Friday from 9:30 P.M. to 7 P.M., Saturday from 9 A.M. to 7 P.M., and Sunday from 9:30 A.M. to 3 P.M.
Chilaquiles verdes (green) de chorizo served with beans and rice. Photo via Taquería Los Anaya.
Taquería Los Anaya ~ West Adams
The chilaquiles here are the casserole variety and are already made, but there is also a place for this style. Once you order, they toast them in their oven, giving them a fascinating, soft, and crunchy texture. The egg is mixed into the savory sauce, which has a depth of flavor and is mild, much like Texan migas. The chilaquiles are served alongside sour cream and guacamole. And yes, you can top your chilaquiles with any of their protein options, including al pastor and chorizo.
4651 W. Adams Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90016. Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 37 – “Adams/West (westbound)” or “Adams/Buckingham (eastbound).”
Open: Monday through Saturday, 8 A.M. to 9 P.M. and Sunday, 8 A.M. to 5 P.M.
Photo by Janette Villafana for L.A. TACO.
Photo by Janette Villafana for L.A. TACO.
Comida del Pueblo ~ East L.A.
From his backyard in East Los Angeles, 31-year-old Daniel Navarro serves what he calls “Comida del Pueblo,” which he uses as a saying and as the name for his weekend business.
Here, you will find a hearty plate packed with slow-cooked meats and machaca straight from Sinaloa. Comida del Pueblo’s most popular dish is their machaca birriaquiles plate, perfect for anyone’s first time here. The plate combines what Comida Del Pueblo has to offer, a plate full of their totopos made fresh every morning, smothered in red spicy salsa, with plenty of minced onion to provide a sharp contrast.
Open Saturday and Sunday, check out their Instagram for times and full address details.
Chilaquiles divorciados at Cilantro Lime in DTLA. Photo via @cilantrolimedtla/Instagram.
Cilantro Lime ~ Downtown Los Angeles
This place is a genuine surprise in a nondescript food court in the middle of the Fashion District. Their chilaquiles were our favorite out of all the chilaquiles we tried. It’s way worth the drive to downtown L.A. The chilaquiles come with both red and green sauce, cheese, and drizzled crema Mexicana. The sauces both had a very nice spice level that was exactly how we like them. Cilantro Lime will even make you a burrito with chilaquiles in it!
934 S. Los Angeles St. Suite 2. Los Angeles, CA 90015. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 28, 30, 33, 40, 45, 48, 55, 66 or 92 – “Main/9th.”
Open: Monday through Saturday, 8 A.M. to 4 P.M.
Chilaquiles at Los Chilaquiles Mexican Grill photo via Los Chilaquiles Mexican Grill.
Los Chilaquiles Mexican Grill ~ Harbor Gateway
It’s almost like a chilaquiles breakfast bar here. You can customize your chilaquiles however you want. We chose the traditional route and ordered red and green. The mild sauces here are a true mild. If you like your chilaquiles to have some heat, which we do, order the ranchera or red morita salsas. You can enhance your chilaquiles with carnitas, rice, guacamole, and beans. So many combinations to choose from, all made right in front of you.
20531 S. Western Ave. Torrance, CA 90501. Closest transit line and stop: GTrans Line 2 – “Western/205th.”
Open: Monday through Friday, 9 A.M. to 3 P.M. and Saturday and Sunday, 9 A.M. to 2 P.M.
A plate of chilaquiles verdes with grilled steak, beans, and sour cream. Photo via Los Compadres.
Los Compadres ~ Long Beach
They have three locations, two in Long Beach and one in Norwalk. The chilaquiles here never disappoint. The sauce is spicy, and the totopos are crunchy and cut into squares versus their more popular shape, a triangle. They are served with cheese and sour cream. The chilaquiles come with rice and beans; you can add chicken or carne asada if you wish.
3229 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach, CA 90804. Closest transit lines and stop: Long Beach Transit Lines 41, 45, 46, and 131 – “Anaheim/Redondo.”
11600 Rosecrans Ave. Norwalk, CA 90650. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 62 or 460 – “Rosecrans/Pioneer.”
1144 Pine Ave, Long Beach, CA 90813. Closest Metro lines and stop: Metro A Line – “Anaheim Street Station” or Bus Line 232 – “Anaheim/Pine.”
Open: Monday through Sunday, 10 A.M. to 10 P.M.
Chilaquiles at La Casita Mexicana. Photo by Javier Cabral for L.A. TACO.
La Casita Mexicana ~ Bell
The Mexican celebrity chef duo behind this iconic Mexican restaurant in Bell, California, have been dubbed the “Kings of L.A. Chilaquiles” in the past, and we think their bold title and claim still hold true. The chilaquiles are always crispy, and the menu offers all the salsas you can imagine for chilaquiles, from your usual salsa verde to mole to a rich pumpkin seed pipian. Their outdoor patio is a small paradise in southeast L.A.
4030 E Gage Ave. Bell, CA 90201. Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 110 – “Gage/Otis.”
Open: Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday, 11 A.M. to 10 P.M., and Friday and Saturday, 9 A.M. to 11 P.M.
Photo via @laguelaguetza/Instagram.
Guelaguetza ~ Koreatown
Guelaguetza is the unofficial Oaxacan consulate in L.A. From its always festive and inviting ambiance to its excellent mezcal selection, this James Beard Award-winning restaurant makes some of the best chilaquiles in Koreatown, especially its incredibly flavorful mole variation. If requested, it can make them using its hearty tlayuda tortillas, made from Oaxacan heirloom corn. They stay crispy longer and stand out from a regular tortilla. Their quesillo upgrade is worth every penny.
3014 W. Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90006. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 28 or 206 – “Olympic/Normandie.”
Open: Tuesday through Thursday, 11 A.M. to 9 P.M., Friday through Saturday, 9 A.M. to 10 P.M., and Sunday, 9 A.M. to 9 P.M.
Chilaquiles at Venice Bakery. Photo by Memo Torres for L.A. TACO.
The first bite of the salsa-smothered totopos wakes your taste buds to the brisk and sensational flavor of its sazón. It’s an addictive flavor that’s aided and abetted by the still-very-crunchy texture of each totopo. As if the near-perfect flavor and texture weren’t enough, the bite only gets better as you dive into the pool of silky black beans next to them. The kicker in these chilaquiles is that they are served with a side of fried plantains, which act as a bit of dessert on the same plate; they honor the Cuban history of this west L.A. bakery.
10943 Venice Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90034. Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 33 – “Venice/Midvale (westbound)” or “Venice/Girard (eastbound).”
Open: Monday through Friday, 6 A.M. to 2 P.M., and Saturday and Sunday, 6 A.M. to 3 P.M.
El Huarachito Chilaquiles divorciados.
El Huarachito ~ Lincoln Heights
Northeast L.A. heads know this hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant in Lincoln Heights for having the most homiest-tasting chilaquiles. The vibe is like hanging out at your tía’s house. The chilaquiles are crunchy and plentiful. You can have it topped with fried and carne asada if you’re starving. The best part? Is that you can wash it all down with a blood-red vampiro juice, which is a refreshing combination of juiced beets and oranges. – Javier Cabral
3010 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90031. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 45 or 182 – “Broadway/Griffin.”
Open: Monday through Sunday, 7 A.M. to 3 P.M.
Photo via Metro Balderas.
Photo via Metro Balderas.
Metro Balderas ~ Northeast Los Angeles
This place deserves a spot on the list for their commitment to serving you either pinto or black beans, depending on the salsa you choose for your chilaquiles. If you choose their peppery red, you get pinto beans! If you choose their tart green, you get their black beans. The onions are slightly sauteed with the carne asada, which adds another layer of flavor. Plus, they even include a toasted piece of crusty warm bolillo bread to sop up every last little bit of what might be the best beans served in northeast Los Angeles.
5305 N Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90042. Closest Metro lines and stop: Metro A Line – “Highland Park Station” or Bus Lines 81 or 182 – “Figueroa/Avenue 54.”
Open: Monday through Sunday, 9 A.M. to 9 P.M.
Photo via Homegirl Cafe.
Homegirl Cafe ~ Chinatown
This recommendation initially came from readers, who told us we had to try Homegirl Cafe’s chilaquiles. The cafe is part of Homeboy Industries, which serves more than just food. It offers second chances to women and men who are at-risk former gang members and helps them rejoin the community through education and work at its cafes.
Here, the friendly staff whips up chilaquiles with red or green salsa, your choice of chicken, carnitas, or refried eggs. They are served with black beans, cotija cheese, cilantro, guacamole salsa, sour cream, sesame seeds, and pickled red onion.
130 W. Bruno St. Los Angeles, CA 90012. Closest Metro lines and stop: Metro A Line – “Chinatown Station” or Bus Line 45 – “Broadway/College.”
Open: Monday through Friday, 7 A.M. to 2 P.M.
Photo via @guajillorestaurant/Instagram.
Guajillo Restaurant ~ Huntington Park
This neighborhood spot is great for breakfast. While they are known for serving their famous white pozole made with pata (pork feet), their chilaquiles are their second-best dish.
Here you will find both green and red salsas for the chilaquiles, but as for toppings, you have quite an array of options, from carne asada, chicken, chorizo, and chilaquiles with some huevos rancheros instead of the most commonly used fried egg. And much like some other places in L.A., they serve their chilaquiles with a side of cut-up bolillo for you to soak up every drop of salsa and yolk mixture at the end of your plate.
6480 Santa Fe Ave. Huntington Park, CA 90255.
Open: Monday through Sunday, 8 A.M. to 9 P.M. Closest Metro lines and stop: Metro A Line – “Chinatown Station” or Bus Line 110 – “Gage/Santa Fe.”
Photo via @chismosacafe/Instagram.
Chismosa Café ~ Covina
Chismosa Café in West Covina is home to the Taro-Chata, the Chai Gurl, and the East Los Chisme Drip. You can’t go wrong with ordering their West Cochina Burrito loaded with braised pork in salsa verde, bacon, eggs, potatoes, cheese, and crema. But their chilaquiles are also worth ordering here.
They have five options to choose from: the traditional red or green salsa chilaquiles, their chismosa chilaquiles, which come with their red guajillo salsa, their toppings, and your choice of chicken, bacon, or pork belly. One of the more popular dishes is a chilaquiles plate that comes topped with barbacoa. They also have vegan options for our non-meat eaters.
When you visit, check out the quirky L.A. décor like the prayer candles emblazoned with the faces of Kobe Bryant and Selena. This place is perfect for a good brunch and chisme time with the girls.
1905 W Badillo St. West Covina, CA 91790. Closest Metro lines and stop: Foothill Transit Line 190 – “San Bernardino/Azusa Canyon.”
Photo via @donchilaquiles_/Instagram.
Don Chilaquiles ~ Koreatown
One knows when you are about to try a bomb spot. Maybe it’s the smells coming off their comal, they come highly recommended, or perhaps it’s in the name, like Don Chilaquiles in Koreatown. They are home to the chilaquiles torta, which comes stacked with your choice of green or red salsa and protein.
But we recommend their classic chilaquiles. You can get their loaded al pastor chilaquiles, which have the al pastor freshly cut off the spinning trompo, or perhaps you want some carnitas to fuel you up. No matter what protein you choose, you can’t go wrong in a place that specializes in and has perfected a good plate of chilaquiles that are so good you can eat them on their own. They do have other locations in Long Beach, North Hollywood, and La Puente.
601 S Vermont Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90005. Closest Metro lines and stop: Metro D Line – “Wilshire / Western Station” or Bus Line 720 – “Wilshire / Vermont.”
Open: Tuesday through Sunday, 8 A.M. to 3 P.M.
Photo via @carnitaselartista/Instagram.
Carnitas El Artista ~ Inglewood
For true Michoacán-style carnitas, there are few options in the entirety of Los Angeles on par with Carnitas El Artista. Inglewood is fortunate to have this champion of confit pork, serving a family recipe for carnitas that is four generations old, stewed in traditional hefty copper pots for impeccable quality, and served with love and pride. And while their carnitas are good in a taco, we recommend getting their loaded carnitas chilaquiles, which seem to bust at the seams when ordered for takeout and are piled high when you eat at the restaurant.
510 N. La Brea Ave. Inglewood, CA 90301. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 212 – “La Brea/Hazel” or Metro K Line – “Downtown Inglewood Station.”
Open: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9 A.M. to 6 P.M., Wednesday 9 A.M. to 5 P.M., and Saturday and Sunday 8 A.M. to 4 P.M.
Photo via @picaresca.cafe/Instagram.
Picaresca Café ~ Boyle Heights
Picaresca Barra de Café is beloved within and beyond the Boyle Heights community. It offers a wide menu that includes breakfast burritos, an array of coffee and lattes, and, you guessed it, chilaquiles. While you will find the classic red and green salsas here, the chilaquiles we recommended are enfrijolados, covered in beans. Rather than a salsa, refried beans are poured over your crisped-up tortilla chips and topped with cheese, sour cream, avocado, and onion.
2931 East 4th St, Los Angeles, CA 90033. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 605 – “4th/Evergreen.”
Open: Monday through Saturday, 7 A.M. to 5 P.M., and Sunday from 8 A.M. to 4 P.M.
Photo via @carolinatamales/Instagram.
Carolina Tamales ~ Bellflower
For another taste of Sinaloa, you will want to go to Carolina Tamales, another place known for one dish, but really, all the food is good. Here, the main attraction is Carolina’s famous tamales and barbacoa, but their chilaquiles are just as good and filling.
They have red and green salsa and chilaquiles with a tangy chipotle sauce. All come with a side of rice and your choice of regular refried beans or frijoles puercos.
9342 Alondra Blvd, Bellflower, California 90706. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 127 – “Alondra/Clark.”
Open: Tuesday through Saturday, 8 A.M. to 5 P.M., and Sunday from 8 A.M. to 4 P.M.
Photo via @taquearte.california/Instagram.
Taquearte ~ Pico Rivera
Another place that deserves to be on this list is Taquearte in Pico Rivera. Here, you don’t have to worry about your chilaquiles not being covered in enough sauce, or the restaurant skimping out on meat or toppings. At this place, you are ensured a plate drowning in their salsa roja and salsa verde. And although a hefty amount of salsa is poured over your chilaquiles, they still manage to keep a crunch. Their toppings include NY steak, pork chops, chicken, and chorizo. And all plates come with fried eggs.
4518 1/2 Rosemead Blvd, Pico Rivera, CA 90660. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 266 – “Normandie/Beverly Road.”
Open: Monday through Saturday from 7 A.M. to 5 P.M. and Sunday from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M.
Editor’s Note: Did we miss your favorite spot? Drop it in the comments!
The 15 Best Restaurants In Malibu
Malibu has long been a playground for the rich and famous, and everyday people looking to make the most of their Saturday. From classic roadside seafood shacks to brunches with spectacular views, here are the best places to eat in the Malibu area.
Take a drive along the ocean and you might notice a random KFC and a few old seaside restaurants that have seen better days. But scratch a little deeper and there’s more in Malibu and its surrounding areas to discover. From classic roadside seafood shacks to brunches with spectacular views , if you’re eating poorly in this town, you didn’t do your homework. Luckily, we did it for you. Here are the best places to eat in the Malibu area.
Editor’s Note [5/29/25]
After being closed for several months due to wildfire damage, public access to Malibu via Pacific Coast Highway has reopened. Drivers should still expect traffic delays due to ongoing PCH repairs and allow extra time for travel.
Jasmine Mooney left ICE detention on a mission: ‘People are gonna listen to you’
Jasmine Mooney, 35, is a Canadian actress and co-founder of Holy! Water. Her U.S. visa was revoked last year. She was detained for 12 days at a San Ysidro, California, port of entry. Mooney credits media coverage of her detention and her legal team for getting her out. She says she left ICE detention on a mission: “People are gonna listen to you””Everyone had a different story,” Mooney says of the women she met in detention. “They had spoken out against their countries and they’re like, no one’s going to listen to us, but we feel like people are gonnaListen to you.” “I was like, you’re the only one that can help us and that we can use your voice to get me out,” she says. “I’m so happy to be back in the United States. I feel like I’ve been given a new lease on life” “I don’t have a criminal record, and I don’t think I’ll ever have to go back to Canada”
toggle caption Gregory Bull/AP
For most of her life, 35-year-old Jasmine Mooney has crossed back and forth between her native Canada and the United States, including working in California, until last year, when her U.S. visa was revoked.
Then she got a new job in the U.S. So last month, Mooney, a Canadian actress and co-founder of the tonic health beverage brand, Holy! Water, went to the San Ysidro port of entry at the border of Mexico and California with her paperwork to apply for a TN visa. This type of visa allows Canadian and Mexican professionals to stay temporarily in the United States.
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Mooney said she used the San Ysidro center because she had previously been granted a visa there.
What happened next is something she never could have imagined.
“They took me, they took all of my luggage. They took my phone, my hands against the wall,” she told NPR.
Mooney doesn’t have a criminal record and assumed, based on a lawyer’s advice, that if there was an issue, she’d be allowed to go back to Mexico and then home to Canada. Instead, she was detained for 12 days. When she was released, she wrote about her experience for The Guardian.
toggle caption Liz Rosa/Jasmine Mooney
Her situation mirrors that of many others who have recently faced abrupt arrests and detentions in a rapidly shifting immigration system under the Trump administration. She credits media coverage of her detention, politicians advocating for her, and her legal team for getting her out; tools few other detainees have.
When NPR asked about her detention, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Assistant Commissioner Hilton Beckham said in a statement that the agency cannot disclose details about specific cases. A spokesperson for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said Mooney “was detained for not having legal documentation to be in the U.S.,” adding that she “was processed in accordance with the ‘Securing Our Borders’ Executive Order dated January 21. All aliens in violation of U.S. immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the U.S., regardless of nationality.”
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Her ordeal started with 48 hours in a holding cell.
“They handed me this little mat and this aluminum foil thing that you use as a blanket. You wrap it around yourself like a dead body, because it’s so cold in the cells, and you just lay there. I laid on the cement floor for two days, and no one told me what was going on,” she said.
On the third day, she was allowed her first phone call.
“I called my best friend. Thank god I remembered her phone number. And so I was like, you need to call my lawyers. You need to call my family. You need to get a hold of anyone, any of our friends, that can help me in this situation.”
Then she was transferred to the Otay Mesa detention center, a facility operated by ICE in San Diego.
“I am in an office talking to this officer. She has a bunch of paperwork, and they said I was being banned for five years. I have the chance to appeal, but I’m, as of now, banned. And then that’s when I got transferred to the jail in San Diego.”
She described being dressed in a prison uniform and placed in prison with about 150 other women.
“Every single woman in my unit, none of us had a criminal record. A lot of them had working visas, and then they reapplied and were denied or their visas expired. Everyone had a different story.”
While friends, family and colleagues went to the media to tell her story, Mooney was transferred again to an ICE detention center in Arizona, where she says she was held with 30 other women in a cell.
“Everyone in there was my cheerleader, trying to get me out. They were like, you’re the only one that we believe can use your voice to help us and everyone in here.”
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She said many of the women she met had fled persecution in their home countries.
“They were from all over the world. They had spoken out against their countries. They had come from Iran, India, Africa, and they’re like, no one’s gonna listen to us, but we feel like people are gonna listen to you.”
The following has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Interview highlights
Leila Fadel: So before you got detained, had you ever thought about these detention facilities and this immigration system? And what were you thinking when you got there?
Jasmine Mooney: I knew nothing. It’s something I never thought about before. You hear some stories, like crossing the border illegally, physically sneaking in, but never firsthand, when you’re in it and seeing how they treat these people, again, who have no criminal record. And then the biggest thing for me is like, okay, if you don’t want us, if you don’t want us in your country, if we’re all getting deported, why are you keeping us in here for this long? Why is it that me, as a Canadian citizen with a Canadian passport, offered to pay for her flight home, yet I was still here for two weeks?
Fadel: What were some of the stories from women you met while you were in Arizona?
Mooney: I became really close with someone from India and another woman from Iran, and they had very similar stories. They saw something that was not right in their countries, and they used their voices, and they got in a lot of trouble. So they both sold everything they owned, and they’re, like, spending like $60,000 to try to get to the U.S.
Fadel: You were told at one point that you should prepare to be detained for months or longer. Ultimately you were detained for 12 days. What do you think got you out sooner?
Mooney: I had the media. I had politicians advocating for me. I had lawyers. I had everything that I could possibly get. So you can only imagine what all these other people have, which is nothing. They do not have my privilege.
Fadel: Now, you came out with letters from other women in detention. Why did they give them to you, and what did you do with them?
Mooney: When we first got in there, we weren’t given access. This was in Arizona, and they were just scared. They were so scared; they didn’t know what was going on. And they were like, you for sure are getting out of here before any of us. So if we still haven’t been able to get ahold of our families, please give them this message, essentially.
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Fadel: So it feels like you came out with a mission?
Mooney: I’ve never written anything before, and when I got out, I wrote my essay flying home on the plane. I was like, I need to share this. I need to tell people that this is happening. I don’t know what it will do, maybe no one will even listen, but I need to try. This isn’t just my story. This is happening very regularly now.
This story was adapted and edited for the web by Majd Al-Waheidi.