FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 25, 2026 

Wind of the Spirit Condemns Violent ICE Abduction of Dover Family

DOVER, NJ: A Dover family and Wind of the Spirit, Immigrant Resource Center advocates share outrage over the violent ICE abduction of Dover residents on the morning of Saturday, May 23, 2026. The traumatized community demands an end to the Trumpian policies of brutalizing working class immigrants to enforce unjust immigration laws and make a profit for immigrant detention center corporations.

At 9:45 AM, an unmarked grey Ford SUV, without a license plate, blocked Dover NJ resident Filemon Ruiz Cielo at the intersection of Park Ave. and Hillcrest Ave in Dover NJ. An unmarked Subaru SUV blocked Mr. Ruiz Cielo’s vehicle from behind on Park Ave. Mr. Ruiz Cielo was driving with his wife, Margarita Cielo Balbuena in the passenger seat and his 31 year-old son, Osmar Ruiz, in the back seat, on their way to work at their family business, Los 3 Hermanos Mexican restaurant in Rockaway NJ. Both Mr. Ruiz Cielo and Mrs. Cielo Balbuena have valid work authorization in the United States, and a hearing before an immigration judge scheduled for 2028.

Two agents wearing vests  marked POLICE/ICE approached Mr. Ruiz Cielo, refused to present a warrant, and assaulted both Mr. Ruiz Cielo and Mrs. Cielo Balbuena’s faces with pepper spray as they sat in their vehicle. The agents then dragged Mr. Ruiz Cielo out of his truck, wrestled him to the floor, pinned Mrs. Ruiz Balbuena onto the jagged rocks on the retainer wall of 43 Park Ave., and tackled their son to the ground before taking Mr. Ruiz Cielo and Mrs. Cielo Balbueno into custody.

Wind of the Spirit Advocate, Karol Y. Ruiz Esq., witnessed the violent arrest in front of her home. “One agent took a weapon from his belt and pointed it at Mrs. Cielo Balbuena and her son; I thought it was a gun. I feared the agents were going to shoot us all. We have small children here, pregnant women; a tight group of neighbors that care for each other. I saw many of our neighbors trying to help and to document this abduction, while I tried to encourage the agents to refrain from using violence. The agents didn’t listen to reason nor provide any reason for their terrorism. They  took two grandparents from our community without a warrant nor present danger. That’s not an arrest, that’s an abduction.” said Ruiz.

Osmar Ruiz reports that he repeatedly requested to see a warrant, but the officers stated that they did not have to show a warrant. “I told the agents that my father recently had back surgery, but they slammed him to the ground. I saw his mouth bleeding and both my parents’ faces stained orange from the pepper spray. My son heard the screams in the streets. I’ve never felt anything like this before. I am a United States citizen. Why is my family being terrorized like this when all we do is give generously and work hard?” said Osmar Ruiz.

All three members of the Cielo Ruiz family suffered injuries. Their neighbor, Karol Ruiz, (no relation) suffered injury as a result of the agents’ pepper spray through her contact with the family members. “These are the tactics of a rogue agency. They blocked an entire thruway and abducted people in broad daylight without showing legal authorization to do so. These are terroristic tactics we see in the most repressive regimes.” said Wind of the Spirit’s Immigrant Justice Advocate Brian Lozano.

Both Ruiz Cielo and Cielo Balbuena suffer from diabetes and did not initially receive their necessary medication at the Elizabeth Detention Center. Congresswoman Analilia Mejia immediately responded to the family’s needs to secure medical attention from the Elizabeth Detention Center.

Mireya Lopez created a GoFundMe to support Ruiz Cielo and Ruiz Balbuena, her son’s grandparents. “ICE is not making anyone any safer. Instead, they traumatized my son and our entire family. They took his grandparents. How do I explain this to my 7 year-old child with autism?” https://gofund.me/9d8a05d1c

The family will use the funds to secure Deportation defense.

For media inquiries, please contact Wind of the Spirit at communications@wotsnj.org