Maykol Bogoya Duarte, an 18-year-old former Detroit high school student who was arrested by Border Patrol agents whilst on his way to a field trip on May 20, has been deported back to his native Columbia according to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) records seen by the Detroit Free Press.
Newsweek reached out to DHS via email on Sunday for comment.
Why It Matters
President Donald Trump‘s administration has made cracking down on illegal immigration one of its top policy priorities, with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel carrying out an intensified series of raids across the United States.
Beginning on June 6 several days of largescale anti-ICE demonstrations took place in Los Angeles, some of which turned violent. In response the Trump administration deployed 4,000 California National Guard troops and 700 Marines, against the wishes of California Governor Gavin Newsom.
What To Know
The Detroit Free Press reported that DHS records indicate Duarte was deported back to Columbia on June 19.
On May 20, whilst on the way to a high school trip to Lake Erie Metropark, Duarte was pulled over by local police officers who said he was tailgating an unmarked police vehicle. Due to language barriers the police called Border Patrol agents who took Duarte into custody after checking his immigration status.
At the time of his detention, Duarte was a student at Detroit’s Western International High School and only three and a half credits away from graduation. Detroit House Democrats Shri Thanedar and Rashida Tlaib both asked for Duarte to be allowed to stay in the U.S. until he graduated, but this request was turned back by ICE on June 11.
Records from ICE’s Executive Office for Immigration Review show Duarte and his mother applied for asylum on January 29, 2024; after entering the U.S. saying they were trying to escape violence in Columbia.
Duarte was refused asylum, and his appeal was rejected on June 25, 2024, at which point “he was in the country illegally, having ignored a judge’s removal order and lost his appeal” according to a spokesperson for Customs and Border Protection.
What People Are Saying
Speaking to the Detroit Free Press Duarte’s attorney Ruby Robinson said: “We’re concerned that for anybody who contacts the police or are interacting with police — whether somebody suspected of committing a crime or whether it’s a victim coming forward — if local law enforcement is going to rely on federal officials to do interpreting, that’s going to have a chilling effect on people trusting law enforcement.”
Western International High School teacher Kristen Schoettle said: “The police did not have to call Border Patrol, but they did.”
Speaking earlier this year to NPR Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, said: “We know that our ICE agents across the country are following proper protocol and proper procedures, and we are working every day to make ourselves excellent for the American people.”
What Happens Next
Trump’s crackdown on suspected illegal migrants is likely to continue with more ICE raids taking place across the country. There could be further tensions with Democratic governors who object to federal government policy.
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