Dylan Lopez Contreras, a 21-year-old Venezuelan student at Ellis Prep Academy in the Bronx, was released on Wednesday after spending 10 months in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility. His detention, which began in May last year when he was arrested at an immigration courthouse, sparked national outrage as the first widely known case of a public school student being detained by federal immigration agents.
Contreras was released from the Moshannon Valley ICE processing centre in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, and returned home on Wednesday evening, according to his lawyers. His mother, Raiza Contreras, expressed relief, saying, 'It is both a relief and a blessing. All glory and honour belong to God, who opened doors and made the impossible possible.'
In an essay written from detention, Contreras described his life as 'uncomfortable, stressful and monotonous', noting the confiscation of his mobile phone left him cut off from relationships. His education, already interrupted by his migration from Venezuela, was further derailed by the prolonged detention.
Kate Fetrow, associate supervising attorney at the New York Legal Assistance Group and part of Contreras's legal team, said: 'Nothing can undo the injustice of denying Dylan even a modicum of due process, stealing his liberty and personal autonomy, and snatching away the precious time, education and experiences he’s been forced to miss for nearly a year of his young life. His release today is a momentous step in the right direction as we continue to fight to restore justice for Dylan and his family.'
Lawmakers, including Senator Chuck Schumer, had advocated for Contreras's release. Schumer said: 'I am glad the administration has heeded my calls and righted this wrong, but there are many more families like Dylan’s that have been torn apart because of ICE. The chaos experienced by so many communities and families at the hands of ICE must end.'
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Contreras has been released with a GPS tracking device, adding that 'if a judge finds he has no right to remain in the US, he will be swiftly removed.'
