Neighbors and friends of Vanessa Paradisal said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents surrounded her car and took her into custody near Pinehurst Elementary in Salisbury, Maryland, earlier this month, then moved her out of state while family and supporters sought a bond hearing.

"They were tapping on her car windows with batons, intimidating her," said Elizabeth Watkins, a neighbor who said she recorded the encounter. Watkins identified herself on the Open Agenda program as a stay-at-home mother who lives near Paradisal and said she stepped out of her car to record because she believed Vanessa would need evidence of the encounter.

Sophia Livingston, who said she is married to Paradisal's brother, told the show agents told her Vanessa was "illegal" and that she had "aggravated charges," a claim Livingston said friends were still trying to verify. Watkins said the friends believe the action stemmed from a 2020 charge that had been handled and closed and that Vanessa did not have any felonies.

Supporters on the program said the community response has been split: some neighbors protested and organized support, while others defended the enforcement action. "We've raised over $7,000 for her," Livingston said; guests said the funds were intended to be used for bond if a judge sets one. They also said they are working with an attorney and are awaiting a bond hearing date.

Guests described a brief period in which family contact was limited after Paradisal was transferred to Louisiana. "There was, like, a two, three day period where we didn't hear from her at all when she got transported to Louisiana," Livingston said. The hosts and guests said phone calls resumed but were short.

Livingston also described conditions she said Vanessa reported from the detention facility: "She slept on the floor with no pillow and an aluminum blanket. She just recently got a cot to sleep on. They've been feeding her MREs that have been making her sick. She still can't keep food down. The water there is dirty. She can't drink the water." Those descriptions were presented as what the guests say Vanessa reported to them; the program did not include an official statement from ICE or from the detention facility.

The program included differing characterizations of the incident: host Joe Vinoza and the guests used strong language to describe the removal — the host at one point called it an "abduction" — while other commentators on the program emphasized that law enforcement and immigration agencies say they enforce existing laws. The guests and hosts repeatedly framed their accounts as eyewitness testimony or personal speculation when legal details were not yet public.

The show also connected the episode to broader policy arguments about immigration enforcement and the size and tactics of ICE. Trish Melvin and Mike Goldberg criticized the escalation of force and said local law enforcement should not assist in immigration enforcement in similar cases; host Joe Vinoza said Congress has failed to modernize immigration laws.

Next steps reported on the program: supporters said they have retained an attorney and are awaiting a bond hearing date; the hosts said they would follow the case and provide updates if public information becomes available. No official ICE statement or court record was offered on the program recording.

Note on name spelling: the on-air recording uses multiple spellings of the woman's surname; this article uses the spelling "Paradisal" following the program's initial references.