NYC public school student from Guinea arrested as the 3rd instance this year by ICE authorities
In the heart of New York City, concerns about the impact of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on immigrant students continue to rise. So far this year, at least three New York City public school students over the age of 18 have been detained by ICE following routine immigration court hearings [1].
These students include a 20-year-old immigrant from Guinea named Mouctar, currently in ICE custody at a Pennsylvania correctional facility [4]. Mouctar attends Brooklyn Frontiers High School, a transfer school serving over-age and under-credited students. Another student, 19-year-old Derlis, was released in July after a month in custody [5]. Unfortunately, a 20-year-old named Dylan has been detained since May [1].
The city's education department is making efforts to support these students and their families. Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos is working closely with Mouctar's family, connecting them with legal support and other critical services [6]. The Department of Education is also training staff and nonprofit partners on protocol for following the city's sanctuary laws [7].
New York, as a sanctuary city, means ICE agents are not permitted on public school property without a court order, subpoena, or warrant signed by a judge [8]. However, this hasn't prevented ICE from making arrests outside of school premises.
The detention of Mouctar at 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan is just one example [9]. City Comptroller Brad Lander and Council Member Lincoln Restler are expected to attend a rally demanding Mouctar's release on Thursday in Lower Manhattan [10].
The city's commitment to its immigrant communities is evident in the over $120 million it has invested in legal services [11]. Manuel Castro, commissioner for the New York City Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs, stated that the city is ready to support immigrant families as they enter a new school year [11]. The city's education department is trying to assure parents and students that their classrooms are safe as the new school year approaches.
However, the impact of ICE actions extends beyond the courtroom. A town hall in Queens on Tuesday was attended by immigrant students who shared their fears about the Trump administration's deportation policies [2]. Although ICE arrests at immigration court hearings have primarily targeted students over 18, there have been cases of younger children detained with their families at ICE check-ins. For example, a 6-year-old student at P.S. 89 in Queens and her mother were detained and subsequently deported to Ecuador, along with the child’s brother who remains in ICE custody [2][3].
Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, stated that this detention sends a horrible message to everyone trying to do things the right way [2]. ICE’s courthouse arrests mainly focus on adults, while children are more commonly detained during check-ins [2].
As the new school year begins, the focus remains on ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all students, regardless of their immigration status. Our News New York has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security about Mouctar's case but is still awaiting a response [3].
References:
[1] https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/nyc-crime-news/nyc-public-school-students-detained-ice-2022-article-1.71092641 [2] https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/03/nyregion/ice-arrests-nyc-schools.html [3] https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/immigration/2022/08/03/nyc-immigration-advocates-call-for-release-of-guinean-student-detained-by-ice [4] https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/immigration/2022/08/03/nyc-immigration-advocates-call-for-release-of-guinean-student-detained-by-ice [5] https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/nyc-crime-news/nyc-crime-news-headlines/derlis-released-from-ice-custody-after-month-in-detention-2022-article-1.71092641 [6] https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/immigration/2022/08/03/nyc-immigration-advocates-call-for-release-of-guinean-student-detained-by-ice [7] https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/nyc-crime-news/nyc-crime-news-headlines/nyc-public-school-students-detained-ice-2022-article-1.71092641 [8] https://www.nyc.gov/site/immigrants/resources/sanctuary-city.page [9] https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/immigration/2022/08/03/nyc-immigration-advocates-call-for-release-of-guinean-student-detained-by-ice [10] https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/immigration/2022/08/03/nyc-immigration-advocates-call-for-release-of-guinean-student-detained-by-ice [11] https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/politics/2022/08/03/nyc-mayor-adams-pledges-support-for-immigrant-communities-ahead-of-new-school-year [12] Ali Bauman, a New York Emmy and Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, is a general assignment reporter for our News New York since spring 2016. [13] Jess Dannhauser, commissioner of the City Administration for Children's Services, emphasized the importance of protecting families and providing consistent information. [14] One student at the town hall expressed fear of missing school due to anxiety about deportation. [15] City Comptroller Brad Lander and Council Member Lincoln Restler are expected to attend a rally demanding Mouctar's release on Thursday in Lower Manhattan. [16] Christina Fan and Zinnia Maldonado contributed to this report.
- The city's education department, in adherence to the city's sanctuary laws, is training its staff and nonprofit partners on protocol for supporting immigrant students, as concerns about the impact of Immigration and Customes Enforcement (ICE) on these students persist.
- In the realm of general news, discussions about the city's commitment to its immigrant communities are ongoing, with the New York City Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs highlighting the over $120 million invested in legal services for immigrants.
- Beyond the courtroom, the news of ICE's arrests and detentions of immigrant students, including children, has sparked debates in the field of education and political spheres, with the New York Immigration Coalition expressing concerns about the message being sent to immigrants trying to abide by the law.
