Spring Valley high school student released from ICE custody after 5 weeks in detention center
A Spring Valley high school student who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement last month has been released.
Dutan Pierre, who is originally from Haiti, is now a U.S. citizen and sponsored his son, Alan Pierre, expecting quick approval because he's under 21 and has no criminal record.
On June 4, however, as Alan left an immigration hearing in Lower Manhattan, he was handcuffed by masked federal agents and taken into custody. Alan spent five weeks at an ICE detention center, causing him to miss his finals and the deadline to sign up for summer school.
Congressman Mike Lawler said he coordinated with the Department of Homeland Security to help facilitate Alan's release on Wednesday.
"I'm grateful for the Department of Homeland Security and Secretary Noem for working with me to release Alan Junior Pierre, pending his parole claim being adjudicated. My office and I will continue to work closely with Alan and his family throughout the immigration process, as we have with families throughout the Haitian community and across my district," Lawler said in a statement. "The situation in Haiti remains dire, and I will continue to advocate for Haitian immigrants to be granted asylum and parole within the confines of the law."
CBS News New York reached out to DHS and ICE, but has not heard back.
Alan was one of several high school students detained by ICE in the Tri-State Area.
A Bronx high school student named Dylan is believed to be the first New York City public school student to be taken into ICE custody since the Trump administration began its crackdown. He was detained after an immigration hearing in late May.
Another city public school student was detained outside a local courthouse during a scheduled immigration appointment in early June.
