WABC: A 20-year-old New York City public school student was detained by federal immigration last week following an appearance in his asylum case.
The student, identified only as Dylan, was detained outside 26 Federal Plaza last Wednesday after his case was dismissed by a judge, per the New York Legal Assistance Group.
The student is a Venezuelan national, who attends a Bronx high school that caters to older newcomers.
He is the first known city public school student to be detained by federal immigration officials.
Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos released a statement, maintaining that schools are a safe place and continued families to send their kids to school. “While this incident did not occur on school grounds, we want to reassure our families: we will continue to speak out and advocate for the safety, dignity, and rights of all of our students,” Aviles-Ramos said. “Our commitment to supporting every child and family – regardless of immigration status – has not changed.”
Mayor Eric Adams was asked about the case and stressed that the student was not detained in school.
“We have not had ICE raids in our school, we have not had ICE raids in our churches, we have not had ICE raids in our hospitals, we have not had ICE raids at places of business,” Adams said.
Meanwhile, UFT President Michael Mulgrew said in a statement, “Our students need to be protected. In this case, it appears that a Bronx high school student was taken advantage of and stripped of his legal rights during a court hearing. In New York City, at least, justice and fairness are supposed to be for all, not just the chosen few.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James called the arrest “despicable.”
“Dylan is a 20-year-old student who followed our legal process and is trying to get an education and provide for his family. ICE took advantage of his court date to arrest him. It’s despicable.”
