The New Haven high school student who was taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody in July may end up missing just the first few days of the new school year.
An immigration court has ruled in favor of 18-year-old Esdr谩s Zabaleta-Ramirez, who will be released on the lowest amount of bond possible: $1,500.
On Tuesday, he was released and back in New Haven.
鈥淪o many of our community members came out, and the judge actually referenced that as one of the reasons that the judge said that Esdras was getting this $1,500, the lowest bond amount 鈥� and would be released,鈥� New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said before the student was released. 鈥淪o it was a very proud moment, a proud moment for our city.鈥�
Zabaleta-Ramirez鈥檚 attorney, Tina Col贸n Williams, got choked up sharing the news with a crowd of supporters gathered outside Wilbur Cross High School on Friday, the day after the ruling.
鈥淢y apologies,鈥� she said, emotionally, as she composed herself. 鈥淚 think part of what's going on here is that to be a lawyer in this era of fighting detention cases, the swiftness with which people are moved, the aggression of it all, it takes a toll. It takes a big toll on everyone involved. The anxiety is real, and the pressure is real. His fear from inside of detention was real this whole time.鈥�
During his detention, the high school junior was held in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Louisiana. His deportation flight to Guatemala was canceled. He was then sent back to a detention facility in Massachusetts.
Col贸n Williams says not everyone is getting this chance.
鈥淭here are many people who are not being able to access a bond hearing or not being able to have an individualized consideration of whether they should be detained or released,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 do think this case is a very clear example that the process can be more fair than this.鈥�
Zabaleta-Ramirez was detained while working at a car wash in Southington. ICE was not looking for him specifically, according to Col贸n Williams, who calls this a case of 鈥渨rong place at the wrong time.鈥�
Zabaleta-Ramirez may be released as soon as this weekend into the waiting arms of his classmates and teachers, who have been rallying for him for the past several weeks.
