Tucson mother in ICE custody may miss hearing in shoplifting case; Adelita Grijalva calls for release

The Pima County Attorney’s Office says federal immigration custody has created uncertainty over whether a Tucson mother facing multiple shoplifting-related charges will be able to appear for a scheduled court hearing Monday.

Jessica Corrales-Duarte is charged with three counts of shoplifting and one count of theft for allegedly taking more than $4,000 in merchandise. A grand jury indicted her in September, and the charges remain pending.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Corrales-Duarte in January, and she is being held at the Eloy Detention Center.

County prosecutors said her detention has complicated her ability to meet her obligations in the state criminal case. The Pima County Attorney’s Office criticized federal immigration authorities in a statement:

“Once again federal immigration authorities appear to be interfering with the proper resolution of a state criminal case. As we have proven, we don’t tolerate this federal administration interfering with our ability to seek justice for victims and appropriate resolutions for defendants. As this is a pending case, we will update as the rules allow us to, down the road.”

– Statement from Pima County Attorney’s Office

Kelvin Ringold, a spokesman for the county attorney’s office, said it is unclear what will happen during Monday’s hearing, which is a continuation of Friday’s proceedings and is scheduled to resume Monday afternoon before a different judge.

“During the proceedings on Friday, she was not present. We are awaiting to see what occurs today at 2 p.m.,” Ringold told KTAR News 92.3 FM.

Will ICE custody affect her criminal court hearing in Pima County?

U.S. Rep. Adelita Grijalva, a Democrat who represents Tucson, is advocating for Corrales-Duarte.

“I am calling on federal authorities to release Jessica from detention, reunite her with her family and halt all deportation proceedings,” Grijalva said in a Friday statement.

Grijalva said Corrales-Duarte’s detention prevented her from attending a court hearing and raised concerns that she could be deported before her criminal case is resolved.

However, ICE officials said her detention will not prevent her from appearing in the state criminal case.

“Corrales-Duarte does not possess any immigration documents that allow her to enter, reside or remain in the United States legally. The Tucson Police Department arrested Corrales-Duarte on felony charges for shoplifting and theft. Claims by her attorney that ICE is not releasing her for her court appearance are false; ICE will release Corrales-Duarte under writ to Pima County so she can appear for her trial.”

– ICE statement provided to KTAR News 92.3 FM

How do DACA protections impact the issue?

One point of dispute among ICE, Grijalva and Corrales-Duarte’s attorney is whether she qualifies for protection as someone who was brought to the U.S. as a child.

“Corrales-Duarte received a letter of intent to terminate her Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status on Nov. 7, 2025, and her DACA status was formally terminated on Jan. 9, 2026,” according to a statement from ICE.

But Grijalva maintains Corrales-Duarte is a DACA recipient who deserves immigration protections.

“ICE is going after yet another DACA recipient in our community,” Grijalva said. “She was born in Mexico and brought to the United States when she was just two years old. … No mother who has spent nearly her entire life in this country should be torn away from her children.”

Another point of dispute is the severity of the charges Corrales-Duarte faces.

Pima County Superior Court records show her charges are felonies, but Grijalva said they were misdemeanors.

“Jessica is facing misdemeanor charges related to an alleged minor offense. According to her attorney, she has no prior criminal record,” Grijalva said.

When asked about the discrepancy — and whether the felony charges had been reduced to misdemeanors — the county attorney’s office declined to provide additional details.

“The only thing we can ethically confirm at this time is that the proceedings will continue today at 2 p.m.,” Ringold said.

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