Maria Francisca Villanueva Caballero was attempting to take the path to become a legal resident of the United States.

But when Caballero, 49, a Firebaugh resident, was attending a meeting at the downtown Fresno federal immigration office on Oct. 8, ICE agents arrested her, advocates say. She is being held at a detention facility in California City, an ICE official confirmed.

Now, several lawmakers are calling for her release. Federal, state, and local elected leaders held a news conference Friday in front of the Robert E. Coyle United States Courthouse in downtown Fresno.

Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, D-Fresno, who organized the news conference, called Caballero’s detention “deeply disturbing.”

Soria said Caballero had no criminal record.

“She trusted the process and instead of fairness, her appointment was abruptly interrupted by ICE agents and she was taken away in handcuffs. Let’s be clear, this is a betrayal of trust,” Soria said.

Several of the elected officials called for immigration reform, and for ICE “not to tear families apart.”

“This administration’s actions are not only potentially unlawful, they’re un-American,” Rep. Adam Gray, D-Merced, said.

State Sen. Anna Caballero, D-Merced, said she shares the same name as Maria Caballero —  no relation — and similar values.

“Maria Villanueva Caballero is more than just a name. She is a reflection of so many of us. We share the same name … the same culture, and an abiding love for this country. We are mothers and fathers, community builders, and we are American in every way,” Caballero said.

She called the Firebaugh woman’s detention an outrage and “moral failure.”

Soria’s office said Caballero sought an I-130, a form for a family member to petition for an alien relative.

Caballero’s attorney, Esmeralda Kinney, was not available for a comment.

As of Friday afternoon, nearly 7,500 people had signed a Change.org petition calling for Caballero’s release.

Came to Firebaugh

Advocates said Caballero came to the United States in 2000, settling in Firebaugh a year later. She worked in the fields, and most recently worked at the Red Rooster tomato canning plant.

She raised four children — two of whom are DACA recipients, who have legal status despite being brought to the country without documentation — in Firebaugh. Friends and family called her an asset to the community, volunteering at her children’s school, and active in church.

“The news shattered each one of us as we all ran out of school and we ran out of work to be together and to ensure my mom’s safety. We were facing our biggest nightmare, the separation of our beloved family. To say that our mom is the foundation of our family is an understatement,” her son Omar Alvarez said.

Firebaugh Mayor Freddy Valdez also advocated on Caballero’s behalf.

“She has quietly contributed to the backbone of our local economy, and even more powerful to the heart of our community. Maria’s story is one of love, sacrifice, and hope,” Valdez said.

ICE did not respond with a comment.