NYC Challenges ICE for Detaining Venezuelan Student at Immigration Hearing: 'He Was Punished for Doing What We All Asked Him to Do'

New York City officials are challenging the detention of Dylan Lopez Contreras, a 20-year-old high school student from Venezuela who was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a routine immigration hearing last week in Manhattan.

Contreras, who arrived in the U.S. legally in 2024 under humanitarian parole and has no criminal record, was seeking asylum and pursuing Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, a path that could lead to lawful permanent residency. Despite this, ICE agents detained him at the courthouse after moving to dismiss his asylum case.

Contreras had no legal representation at the hearing and does not speak English. According to the ACLU of Pennsylvania, he did not understand that the dismissal would allow ICE to place him into expedited removal proceedings.

In response, the City of New York filed an amicus brief on June 2 supporting Contreras' release. In a statement, City officials argue that ICE's actions may deter immigrants from participating in the legal process:

"As detailed in our amicus brief, tactics like those used to detain Dylan Lopez Contreras create a culture of fear around all manner of court proceedings that depend on cooperation from members of the public and undermine the public trust. Justice requires, and the city fully supports, Dylan's release."

Mayor Eric Adams also spoke out against the arrest. "Dylan Lopez Contreras was going through the exact legal proceeding that we encourage new arrivals to go through," he said. "Instead of being rewarded for following the law, he was punished for doing what we all asked him to do."

The ACLU-PA, along with the New York Legal Assistance Group, filed a habeas corpus petition challenging what they describe as unlawful detention and due process violations. The petition also seeks to prevent ICE from transferring Contreras to another jurisdiction and to ensure he receives the medical care he needs, as he suffers from a serious but undiagnosed condition.

New York City officials stressed that nearly 40% of its population is foreign-born and that cases like Contreras' raise broader concerns about trust in public institutions. "We stand with you, and you deserve to live your lives freely," Mayor Adams said, addressing immigrant communities directly.

Contreras is currently being held at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Pennsylvania as legal efforts continue.