A high school student from Queens is about to be released from ICE custody after being detained since early June. Derlis Snaider Chusin Toaquiza, a 19-year-old 11th grader at Grover Cleveland High School, is expected to be released from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Texas after a judge granted bond, as reported by Gothamist.
Arrested after attending a mandatory immigration hearing on June 4 with his mother, who was not detained, Toaquiza's case has caused an uproar within the school community. According to CBS News New York, his lawyers said the holding conditions at 26 Federal Plaza were so crowded that sitting up, Toaquiza had to sleep and was given only one meal a day before being transferred to Texas. His family had applied for asylum in the U.S. in March 2024, citing discrimination as members of an Indigenous tribe.
The New York Legal Assistance Group, working on Toaquiza's case, stated that a Texas immigration judge will set Toaquiza's bond at $20,000, which will be covered by the Envision Freedom Fund. "We are beyond thrilled that Derlis will soon be returning home to New York to be with his family where he belongs," told Gothamist Rebecca Rubin, a senior staff attorney for the group.
Opposing Toaquiza's detention, the Adams administration filed an amicus brief, and Grover Cleveland High School's principal vouched for the student's character. In a letter addressed to immigration officials, Principal Marc Pascente wrote, "Derlis is a kind, respectful and dedicated young man," and highlighted the student's abrupt absence's significant disruption from school activities. "His unexpected removal has caused significant disruption to his learning and has had a deep emotional impact on his classmates and our entire school community…. He belongs with his family and classmates, where he can continue learning and growing," as obtained by Gothamist.
This case draws attention once again to the broader issue of student detentions by ICE. Dylan, a 20-year-old high school student from Venezuela, still remains in custody in Pennsylvania after appearing voluntarily at an immigration hearing. The city has challenged his arrest and is advocating for his release, according to Gothamist. Federal officials, meanwhile, have denied any allegations of overcrowding or mistreatment at 26 Federal Plaza. "Any claim that there is overcrowding or subprime conditions is categorically false," ICE's Tricia McLaughlin stated.
