Immigration advocates in New York on Wednesday, March 18, welcomed the release of a New York City high school student from Moshannon Valley Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Processing Center in Philipsburg, PA.
Murad Awawdeh — president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), an umbrella policy and advocacy organization that represents over 200 immigrant and refugee rights groups throughout New York — said that Dylan Lopez Contreras was kidnapped by ICE at a court hearing at 290 Broadway in Manhattan on May 21, 2025.
Awawdeh said Dylan was the first high school student in New York City known to be abducted by ICE since President Donald J. Trump returned to office.
“All New York families belong together. Nearly a year after Dylan was tricked and disappeared by ICE — and shipped to a detention center far away from his family and support system — Dylan is finally home,” he said.
“Dylan is a student, worker, and beloved son. Dylan is a New Yorker. Dylan, his family, and his community at ELLIS Prep high school will now get back to their lives,” he added. “But while this is a step towards justice, Dylan will never get back the time he unjustly spent behind bars.
“Elected officials in New York must take action to make sure that we do not remain complicit in other New Yorkers being torn from their families,” Awawdeh continued. “Albany must pass New York For All immediately to ensure that our local resources are not used to terrorize our communities and deport our neighbors.”
The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) Commissioner Faiza N. Ali said that Dylan was “unjustly detained by ICE, despite doing everything right: attending his court hearings, pursuing his education, and supporting his family.
“For months, Dylan’s detention caused immense harm to his family, his community, and our city,” she said. “His case is a painful reminder that our broken immigration system continues to ignore due process and traumatize immigrant New Yorkers, even those who are fully engaged in the legal process and pose no threat to public safety.
“New York City remains committed to being a sanctuary for all,” Ali added. “No one should have to choose between following the rules and risking detention.
“As MOIA commissioner, I will continue to stand with immigrant communities and advocate for policies that keep families together,” she continued. “While today marks an important step toward justice for Dylan and his loved ones, there is still much work ahead.
“MOIA will continue to ensure that every immigrant New Yorker is treated with dignity, fairness, and respect,” Ali said.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson said that, “after 10 months of unjust detention, we are relieved to hear that Dylan Lopez Contreras has been released by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is returning to his family here in New York City.
“Dylan`s experience in custody is beyond unacceptable, and his story reflects a disturbing pattern of unfair enforcement by federal authorities that has harmed countless families across our nation,” said the daughter of a Trinidadian immigrant father.
“A person’s immigration status is never an excuse for human rights abuses, and we condemn any practice by this federal administration that treats our residents as less deserving of dignity or protection,” Gibson added. “The Bronx is proudly a borough of immigrants, and we will continue to fight for the rights and protections of our immigrant communities regardless of any action taken to undermine their safety and security.”
