Dylan Lopez Contreras, first New York City high school student detained by ICE, released after 10 months | amNewYork

"Nearly a year after Dylan was tricked and disappeared by ICE and shipped to a detention center far away from his family and support system Dylan is finally home. But while this is a step towards justice, Dylan will never get back the time he unjustly spent behind bars. Elected officials in New York must take action to make sure that we do not remain complicit in other New Yorkers being torn from their families."

"Dylan Lopez Contreras, a Bronx high school student, was released from ICE custody early Wednesday morning after spending 10 months in detention. According to the New York Immigration Coalition, Contreras walked out of the Moshannon Valley ICE Processing Center in Philipsburg, PA, to advocates who traveled more than 250 miles west of the city to collect him. He was the first known high school student to be taken into ICE custody after President Donald Trump came back into power in January 2025."

Dylan Lopez Contreras, a Venezuelan-born student at ELLIS Preparatory Academy High School in the Bronx, was detained by ICE on May 21, 2024, while seeking asylum. He was arrested outside his court hearing at 290 Broadway, which his family and legal team characterized as wrongful detainment. After spending 10 months in the Moshannon Valley ICE Processing Center in Pennsylvania, Contreras was released in March 2025. Advocates traveled over 250 miles to retrieve him. His detention caused significant stress to his family, including his mother who required a heart monitor due to the ordeal. Immigration advocates and elected officials are calling for legislative action to prevent similar cases.

Read at www.amny.com