At a recent rally, it was disclosed that a student from Wilbur Cross High School, known as Esdrás and presently a junior, was apprehended by ICE while at his job on July 21. From there, he was transported to a detention center situated in Louisiana. The campaigners for the rally stepped up to disclose that Esdrás, an 18-year-old student, had been detained by the United States Customs and Immigration Service. He was held in custody as part of a focused enforcement operation.
Alternatively expressed, he was taken into custody and later moved to a detention facility in Louisiana. The rally was a robust response of Wilbur Cross High School teachers and students, backing one of their students who was abruptly swept up by immigration officials. The driving force behind this campaign is the commitment to help the jailed student return home in New Haven.
Leslie Blatteau, who serves as the president of the New Haven Federation of Teachers, participated in the rally and made a strong statement advocating for Esdrás’s rights. She professed that the young man should be focusing on his return to school instead of grappling with the grim reality of a detention center. Friends who miss him and teachers who love him await him eagerly at Wilbur Cross.
Notably, Esdrás had just managed to secure legal counsel who would be representing him in his dispute against his current detention. This attorney was able to reach out and speak to Esdrás for the first time since his detention. This piece of information was conveyed at the rally by Tabitha Sookdeo, who sits as the Director of Connecticut Students for a Dream.
Sookdeo relayed that the attorney was able to confirm the location of Esdrás at the Alexandria Staging Facility in Louisiana. A concern had been raised that after his arrest, Esdrás was initially taken to an ICE facility in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and later transferred to New Hampshire, during which time he lost contact with his legal counsel. Currently, he is held in Louisiana where his attorneys were eventually able to reach him.
There’s a deep concern about the conditions of the ICE detention facilities in Louisiana. Critics have pointed to poor conditions and remote locations of these facilities, which can obstruct communication between detainees and their families as well as their lawyers. Voice has been raised on the urgency of addressing this issue.
The rally was coordinated by numerous local groups that support immigrants’ causes, involving Connecticut Students for a Dream, Unidad Latina en Acción, and Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services. Local educational representatives as well as government officials spoke up at the event. They included individuals such as East Rock Alder Caroline Tanbee Smith, Wilbur Cross alumni John Carlos Musser, and representatives from faith groups and youth-centered immigrant advocacy organizations.
One notable proclamation came from Rev. Nathan Empsall of St. PJ’s Episcopal Church. The Reverend evoked the spiritual dimension of welcoming immigrants, likening them to angels who are inadvertently welcomed into the community. He lamented that by detaining the high school student, ICE had unknowingly detained an angel and possibly exposed him to inhuman living conditions.
Also having his voice heard was State Sen. Gary Winfield. He delivered a moving speech, signalling the need for common unity in reaction to the growing immigration enforcement. He underscored the importance of overt community support for immigrant neighbors, assuring them they are not alone.
Within spans of just several weeks, another Mexican lady was apprehended by ICE in front of her home, and an Afghan interpreter was seized while leaving the U.S. Customs and Immigration Services office in East Hartford, following an appointment relating to green card. Since President Trump ascended to office, reports of ICE activities have amplified in Connecticut.
It was disclosed at the rally by his fellow students that Esdrás has been an active member of Connecticut Students for a Dream. It is a prestigious advocacy group comprising undocumented learners, deeply involved in statewide efforts to furnish healthcare assistance to such immigrants. Earlier this year, Esdrás, displaying his advocacy spirit, lent his support to the cause by submitting his testimony to the state legislature’s appropriations committee. He was advocating for legislation to offer health insurance to all state residents under 26, irrespective of their immigrant status.
Esdrás’s high school teacher, Magda Natal from Wilbur Cross High School, spoke highly of him at the rally. She depicted Esdrás as a well-disciplined, trustworthy student with a solid academic record and passion for learning English. Natal stressed Esdrás’s outstanding character, benevolence towards peers, and his readiness to assist fellow students whenever necessary.
The mayor’s city support for Esdrás was presented by Alex Guzhñay ’24, on behalf of Mayor Justin Elicker. His statement reaffirmed the city’s allegiance towards Esdrás and his family. This followed the denunciation of Trump administration policies, which undeniably created a great deal of stress among immigrant families and communities, courtesy of their rigid enforcement and control measures.
A statement from U.S. Rep Rosa DeLauro, read aloud at the rally, pointed to the unjustice Esdrás was facing. She stressed on the young man’s contribution, from working jobs to assisting classmates to his commitment for schooling. Despite all these, he was now in detention, stripped away from family, education, friends, solely due to the administrations policy.
The post High School Junior Detained by ICE Stirs up Protest appeared first on Real News Now.
About Author
