Dylan Lopez Contreras did everything he was told to do.

He came to the United States in April 2024 through a lawful process to seek asylum. He enrolled in high school in the Bronx. He obtained permission to work. He showed up to his immigration court hearing, as required.

And then ICE followed him out of that courtroom and arrested him.

For nearly ten months, Dylan — a 20-year-old student at Ellis Prep Academy — has been detained at the Moshannon Valley ICE Processing Center in Pennsylvania, far from his mother, his younger siblings, and the school community that cares about him. His classmates describe him as kind, charismatic, and always ready to help others. His mother describes a son who believed in “doing things the right way.”

No young person who complies with the law and appears in court should leave in handcuffs.

People across the political spectrum agree that due process matters, that families matter, and that students who are working hard to build a future should not be punished for following the rules. Immigration laws must be enforced with fairness, transparency, and humanity.

Dylan deserves the chance to continue his education, support his family, and pursue his legal options without prolonged detention. Tearing him away from his school and community does not make our country stronger — it undermines trust in the very system he was trying to navigate correctly.

We call on U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary and ICE leadership to immediately release Dylan Lopez Contreras from detention and halt his deportation while his legal case proceeds.

Bring Dylan home to his family. Let him return to school. Let him have the fair chance he sought when he followed the law.