During rehearsal for graduation at Francis T. Maloney High School, Ella Rossi didn鈥檛 know why there was an empty seat next to her. A day later, she learned that federal immigration officials had detained the student that was supposed to be sitting there.
鈥淚 was super duper bummed about it,鈥� Rossi said. 鈥淚t's a terrible situation.鈥�
The student, identified as Kevin, and his father were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement last week after a scheduled check-in with ICE in Hartford, officials said. They're being detained in Texas.
Although he wasn鈥檛 there to walk the stage with his peers, 16-year-old Kevin鈥檚 name was read aloud at graduation, where he was also listed as an honor roll student.
鈥淭o try to kind of bring his spirit here with us, we have our necklaces that we made,鈥� Rossi said of a friendship-style beaded necklace with Kevin鈥檚 name. On her wrist was a matching bracelet.
She also had a couple of white flowers with a hand-written note.
鈥淚 was hoping his aunt was gonna come so I could give her the flowers,鈥� Rossi said.
The outpouring of support for Kevin surprised Rossi.
鈥淚 actually told my mom鈥� I was like, 鈥業 don't think people are going to care, like, it's really unfortunate, but I don't think they will.鈥� And they did,鈥� Rossi said. 鈥淭he amount of camaraderie and support I've seen is more than I have in all four years.鈥�
Justice for Kevin
The student's detainment is drawing fierce blowback from advocates and Meriden community members.
"We feel incredibly enraged by what's happened to the student, and to his father and to his family generally," said Tabitha Sookdeo, director of 黑料新闻 Students for a Dream, a group that advocates for undocumented immigrants. "It's concerning, it's shocking, and we didn't think this would happen here in 黑料新闻."
Supporters of the student, identified as Kevin, say he played soccer on his high school team. He has plans to attend community college.
Sookdeo鈥檚 group has been in touch with the student's family.
鈥淪tudents who are in high school, they should not be having to worry about whether they are going to get deported,鈥� Sookdeo said. 鈥淭hey should be worrying about growing up, what it means to be a teenager and then worrying about where they want to go to school if they want to go to college. It's just heartbreaking, truly heartbreaking.鈥�
At the ceremony on Tuesday, Emily Morel Garcia graduated with a sticker on her gown that read, 鈥淓stamos unidos,鈥� or 鈥淲e stand together.鈥�
She immigrated to the United States from the Dominican Republic 10 years ago and is now a legal resident. She said she wore the sticker for Kevin and his family.
鈥淚 have family like him that are in hiding,鈥� Morel Garcia said, 鈥淚 just know that his family is probably suffering.鈥�
Morel Garcia said a community that shares one voice in these kinds of incidents can make a difference.
鈥淚f we stay together,鈥� Morel Garcia said, 鈥淚 feel like things might change later on in the future.鈥�
A is now taking donations to help Kevin鈥檚 family cover legal fees. More than 3-thousand dollars were raised at the time of the graduation ceremony.
On Wednesday, Maloney High School students are also walking down East Main Street in Meriden from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. to show their support for Kevin.
Still a graduate of Maloney High
Kevin鈥檚 cap, gown and diploma are waiting for him when he returns home, said President of the Meriden Board of Education Rob Kosienski.
鈥淲e're going to do something for him, [something] special,鈥� Kosienski said. 鈥淲e'll have him come to the Board of Ed, or we'll do it right here at Maloney, something that he and his family can enjoy.鈥�
According to Kosienski, federal immigration officials did not contact the board nor the school about Kevin and his father鈥檚 detainment. ICE also did not respond to requests for comment.
Counseling services have been made available to any student in need of them because of the incident, he said.
鈥淲e've had counseling available, not only at Maloney, but at Platt High School and all our middle schools as well,鈥� Kosiensk said.
Miguel Cardona, the former U.S. education secretary for the Biden administration who is from Meriden, posted a video on social media expressing his frustration.
鈥淭his is a kid who ... should be experiencing the most important day of his life, his high school graduation, with his family celebrating, but instead he was sent away,鈥� Cardona said.
He told the student: 鈥淚鈥檓 sorry this is happening to you and your family.鈥�
鈥淣o matter where you are on Tuesday, you鈥檙e going to be a graduate of our school system,鈥� Cardona said.
Kosienski echoed the sentiment.
鈥淎s far as we know, we have a student who just graduated, and he wasn't able to be here tonight,鈥� Kosienski said. 鈥淥ur hearts are with him and his family as they celebrate his graduation, and eventually we'll do that together as well.鈥�
This story has been updated.
