Springfield Jacksonville Coffee Shop Owner Detained by ICE, Community Shows Support

Residents of Springfield and across Jacksonville are rallying behind a beloved coffee shop owner now in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, facing possible deportation following her arrest on two misdemeanor charges during what relatives say was a mental health crisis.

Diana Marcela Mejia, 40, and her husband, Jonatan Jinete, own Artessence Coffee Shop at 1505 N. Main Street in historic Springfield, Jacksonville. Known for its Colombian coffee, fresh pastries, and welcoming atmosphere, the café has become a staple in the local community, often hosting neighborhood gatherings and small events.

Mejia is a Colombian national who legally resides in the United States while awaiting permanent residency after arriving with her family in December 2021 to seek political asylum. Family members say she is currently hospitalized under unclear circumstances after being taken into ICE custody. Her stepdaughter, Sharis Jinete, and daughter, Gabriela Mejia, report they have not been able to speak to her and receive only brief updates from authorities, stating she is “okay and eating.”

The events leading to her detention began on August 2 in St. Augustine, where family members say Mejia experienced panic attacks and hallucinations due to fears of ICE detaining immigrants. Hoping she would receive mental health care, they contacted police outside a Dollar General store. Instead, St. Johns County deputies arrested her for trespassing and resisting an officer without violence after she refused to leave the store parking lot. An arrest report describes a brief struggle before officers restrained her.

On August 3, the Department of Homeland Security issued an immigration detainer, citing probable cause that Mejia is a removable individual under U.S. immigration law. ICE records confirm she remains in custody, though her precise location is not public.

On August 9, nearly 100 supporters gathered at the Springfield coffee shop to show solidarity. Long lines formed outside Artessence Coffee Shop, with customers purchasing drinks and pastries while leaving generous tips — some as high as $50 — to help the family cover costs related to her detention. Many described Mejia and her family as hardworking, kind, and deeply committed to their neighbors in Jacksonville.