The arrest of a Bowling Green teenager by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents sparked a community protest calling for his release on Wednesday.
Ernesto Manuel-Andres and his father Julio Manuel-Miguel were arrested by ICE agents at their apartment in Bowling Green on June 4th. Manuel-Andres was moved to a Laurel and Grayson county correctional facility, before being transported to a detention facility in Monroe, Louisiana, where he is currently being held.
A nonprofit that works with refugee and immigrant youths says Manuel-Andres has legal status in the U.S. after receiving a special designation from the Department of Homeland Security that protects him from deportation.
News of the arrest has spread over social media amid increased immigration enforcement raids and protests around the country. Protesters organized a rally of more than 200 individuals in Bowling Green on Wednesday that included the city's mayor and police chief.
Among them was Leslie Perkins, who said she taught Ernesto for two years. He was always respectful and well liked, she said.
"I could go on and on about what a special young man Ernesto is," Perkins said. "All teachers go above and beyond for our students but Ernesto has a special place in our heart, but as a citizen too, when you chip away like this at democracy that's what causes a collapse."
Here's what we know
Ernesto Manuel-Andres is a Guatemalan who has been living in Bowling Green. The 18 year old graduated three weeks ago from Teranga Academy, a school that partners with the Bowling Green Independent School District to serve students who are refugees and immigrants.
While in detention, Manuel-Andres contacted a family member who reached out to Luma Mufleh, the founder of non-profit organization that works with Teranga Academy in Bowling Green.
Mufleh said Manuel-Andres was transported multiple times without being told what was happening.
"He has been moved three times from Wednesday to Saturday and he wasn't able to speak to anyone and I think rightfully scared," Mufleh said. "So just getting some clarity on getting a bond hearing and what does that mean and what's going to happen."
Immigration lawyers with Mufleh's organization, Fugees Family, worked with Manuel-Andres to secure a Special Immigrant Juvenile Status earlier this year, a designation for youths who have faced neglect or abuse.
Mufleh confirmed Manuel-Andres is in the U.S. legally and confirmed he received "Deferred Action" from the Department of Homeland Security, which legally protects him from deportation.
The community responds
The community protest was organized by SoKy Indivisible in response to the arrest.
Over 200 protesters attended the event taking up space on multiple corners at the busy intersection of Russellville Road and Morgantown Road. The crowd chanted and held signs demanding Ernesto be released.
Lilliana Madrigal was at the protest and said she fears this could happen again.
"My family is full of immigrants and I want them to be safe," Madrigal said. "I want everyone to be safe. So it's a scary situation. He's here legally. He just graduated high school, so to take him away from his family is just outrageous."
Bowling Green Mayor Todd Alcott was at the protest to ensure protesters remained safe. Alcott said he would work with city and county officials to provide support if Ernesto is being illegally detained.
"I want to make sure that everyone gets home safely tonight and we'd love to have Ernesto come home," Alcott said. "What I understand is that he has the legal paperwork to do that and if that is so he deserves due process."
Bowling Green Police Chief Michael Delaney also was at the protest and said he was not given any notice of ICE activities locally. "
"When I learned about Ernesto's detainment it was from a citizen," Delaney said. "ICE did not contact us. ICE doesn't tell us when they are coming into town or looking for suspects or apprehending people."
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This story was produced by the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, a collaboration between West Virginia Public Broadcasting, WPLN and WUOT in Tennessee, LPM, WEKU, WKMS and WKU in Kentucky and NPR.
