AMNA NAWAZ: As the Trump administration continues# to pledge to target the worst of the worst## criminals in its immigration crackdown, many# others are getting caught up in that crackdown.

Last month, 28-year-old community organizer# Catalina "Xochitl" Santiago was detained by## Customs and Border Protection.

Despite living# legally in the U.S. for years under the Deferred## Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA,# she remains in ICE detention in Texas today.

I spoke with her wife, Desiree# Miller, a few days ago.

Desiree Miller, welcome to the "News# Hour."

Thank you for joining us.

DESIREE MILLER, Wife of Catalina "Xochitl"# Santiago: Hi.

Thank you for having me.

AMNA NAWAZ: So, your wife, Xochitl, is# currently in ICE detention.

She's been## there since she was detained back on August# 3.

What can you tell us about where she is,## about what you know about the conditions# inside, and also how she's doing?

DESIREE MILLER: Yes, thank you for that question.

I'm able to speak to her every day.

So, we usually# talk every morning.

And, obviously, the.. really concerning things that she's told me# about the conditions inside of the detention.

I think some of the main ones are that people# don't receive the medical attention that they## need.

In particular, there are some pregnant women# who don't get medical attention.

And a lot of the## times, when people ask for medical attention,# they're just given water.

The water smells weird## in there.

They have been given food multiple times# that it's either expired or makes people sick.

There's a lot of talk about whether or not the# conditions are humane or not, but I think that## there's no way to make that situation humane when# you have ripped someone away from their family.

All of these things that they do# to make it seem as if it's humane,## letting people talk to their families,# having video calls and having these -- quote,## unquote -- "mental health checkups," I think# that no mental health checkup is going to make## up for the amount of trauma that has been# inflicted by being ripped away from their## families and trying and having my wife and other# people -- trying to deport them without cause.

AMNA NAWAZ: I mean, you two have been separated# for weeks now.

What has that been like?

DESIREE MILLER: It's a# really difficult experience.

I think that knowing also that a lot of times# the conditions that she's in, that she's not## able to sleep well because they have the lights# on all night and the guards are very loud and## walk very loudly throughout the whole night, so# that they're not able to sleep, it's really hard## for me to be out here trying to go about my day,# because I still have to take care of her stuff and## I still have to work while I'm also trying to just# live with this fact that she's in their suffering.

AMNA NAWAZ: Take us back if you can, Desiree.# She was detained before boarding a domestic## flight.

She was approached by someone wearing a# Border Patrol uniform in the airport.

There is## this video of that moment when the officer# seems to be checking her identification.

MAN: I'm asking some immigration documents here.

AMNA NAWAZ: Where did the video come from?

And# just tell us about that moment.

What happened?

DESIREE MILLER: On that day, August 3, she sent# me a video of that officer questioning her,## the one that is now all over social media,## and told me that they had taken her DACA# card and were refusing to give it back.

So, after that, I was obviously very concerned.

I# was texting her and calling her, and I didn't get## any response after that.

So, for several hours,# I didn't know where she was, if something had## happened to her, if everything was fine and# she was just on the plane, until around 8:30.

One of our friends here received a call# from her, and she let our friend know## where she was being detained.

And that's# how we found out where she was at.

AMNA NAWAZ: We should underscore here, she's# 28 years old.

She has valid DACA status,## right?

She's renewed that# several times over the years,## which does require verification# and background checks and the like.

We did ask DHS about her case.

They gave us a# statement in which they called her a criminal## illegal alien and they also said this in# part -- quote -- "Her criminal history## includes charges for trespassing,# possession of narcotics and drug## paraphernalia.

She will remain in ICE# custody pending her removal proceedings."

So, Desiree, I just want to get# your response to that.

And, also,## is it your understanding that these charges# that they reference in the statement,## that is the basis for her arrest# and potential deportation?

DESIREE MILLER: So, DHS in that statement# and since then has blatantly lied to try## and justify the fact that they are detaining# her unlawfully.

Her legal team has confirmed## multiple times that she has not been# convicted of any crime that would cause## her to lose her DACA status, nor are there# any pending criminal charges against her.

She to this day holds a valid work permit# that allows her to work and travel within## the United States legally.

So, DHS and I don't# have any legal basis for why they detained her,## why they are holding her or why they are# trying to initiate deportation proceedings.

And I think it should be very concerning to# everyone that ICE is knowingly holding someone## who has protection from deportation under DACA and# is claiming that their DACA status doesn't matter.

AMNA NAWAZ: You know, the administration,# as you have probably seen regularly,## puts out information about who they're# taking into immigration custody,## who they're working to deport.

Violent criminals# are usually who they highlight in those messages.

And there are absolutely violent convicted# criminals among those they're working to## deport.

That they continuously say that they are# working and targeting the worst of the worst,## what does that mean to you?# What's your reaction to that?

DESIREE MILLER: There's a lot.

There's a lot# of -- a lot going on inside me to hear that.

Xochitl is really an example of how they are# using this language of calling people criminals,## illegal aliens as a way to distract from# what the reality is of what they're doing,## which is that these are people who# they are taking and detaining and## trying to deport their people's wives,# brothers, sisters, mothers, grandparents.

I think Xochitl is really an example# of that, in that she has dedicated her## entire life to improving her community in so many# different ways, to -- to protect people who have## immigrated to this country.

And# now she works in our community.

AMNA NAWAZ: It's also worth noting, Desiree,# there's over 500,000 people with DACA status## in the United States.

That was obviously set# up as a program that was meant to shield from## deportation people who were brought to this# country without documentation as children.

But the government's also said that# DACA, they say, does not confer any## form of legal status in this country.

What# do you think happens next for Xochitl?

DESIREE MILLER: I'm definitely not an illegal# expert.

I'm just Xochitl's spouse, who's## obviously trying to understand all of this that is# national policy unfolding within our daily lives.

I think that we are fully anticipating her# to come home to her family, to her community,## where she belongs.

I think it's horrible# that my wife has been used as an example,## but I hope that it helps bring# light to the reality of what is## happening and the dangers that we# are facing in this administration.

AMNA NAWAZ: Desiree Miller,## thank you so much for joining us tonight.# I really.. DESIREE MILLER: Thank you.