She was arrested in NC for stealing a salad. Now she faces deportation.
A Wilmington mother was arrested for allegedly stealing a salad and fruit from the restaurant where she worked.
The charges were dismissed when the restaurant decided not to press charges, but Irma Carranza Cruz, who entered the U.S. illegally in 2006, faces deportation to Mexico.
Cruz was accused of stealing a salad and fruit from Famous Toastery in Wilmington and has been in an Atlanta detention facility for about a month, the Port City Daily reported.
If deported, Cruz would leave behind a 12-year-old daughter, who is a legal U.S. citizen.
Cruz, 43, was being held on $20,000 bond by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Irwin County Detention Center near Atlanta, according to WECT.
ICE spokesman Nestor Ygelsias told the Port City Daily that Cruz is an undocumented immigrant, arrested twice in 2004 by U.S. Border Patrol. Cruz was twice returned to Mexico before re-entering the United States illegally in 2006.
On Sunday, Feb. 11. Cruz allegedly left her job at the Famous Toastery with a California salad and several containers of fresh fruit. Surveillance video allegedly showed Cruz taking the food and "another employee informed management that this was a common occurrence," the Port City Daily reported. Cruz was accused of stealing food regularly.
The food was valued at $28.44, according to Cruz' arrest warrant and she was charged with felony theft. Theft by an employee valued at less than $100,000 is a Class H felony. Police spokeswoman Linda Rawley said the Wilmington Police Department did not contact ICE.
New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office records show Cruz was placed on ICE hold on Feb. 15. Spokesman Jerry Brewery said it was possible that an ICE agent came into contact with Cruz at the detention center.
"We have a zero-tolerance policy for stealing. I make food for employees all the time – the kitchen feeds our employees if they need something to eat," Chef Ivan Rangel told the Daily. "But stealing, we have rules – it doesn’t matter if you’re Hispanic or white or black, man or woman.
"You know, I’m Hispanic too, I get it. We didn’t think it would end up like this. But at the same time we have rules – I’m responsible for food costs, that’s on me. I run this kitchen like it was my own place… so I take it seriously."
To raise money for Cruz' $20,000 bond, the family set up a GoFundMe campaign, which raised $2,670 before being closed.
The Atlanta Immigration Court’s automated case information hotline said there is currently no hearing date set for Cruz. As of last week, her family had been unable to find someone to represent Cruz in her case.
This story was originally published March 26, 2018 at 4:55 PM with the headline "She was arrested in NC for stealing a salad. Now she faces deportation.."