New York, NY—Yesterday, Yeonsoo Go was released from ICE custody, five days after she was detained at 26 Federal Plaza at a routine court hearing. Despite following the proper legal process, she was sent to a federal detention facility in Louisiana after being detained on the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza.
Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO, New York Immigration Coalition:
“All families belong together. We are pleased to know that Yeonsoo is now home, reunited with her family and community where she belongs. Yeonsoo’s release comes after a traumatic and unjust detention that should never have happened. She was taken by ICE simply for doing what the law requires—attending her immigration court hearing to move forward her immigration application. Yeonsoo’s unjust detention is another example of the Trump administration supercharging its mass deportation machine to criminalize, kidnap, and tear apart immigrant families. The Trump administration’s aggressive and inhumane enforcement operations inside New York’s immigration courthouses undermine the country’s commitment to due process and the rule of law. ICE must immediately end courthouse enforcement operations and shut down the detention center on the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza. Every person still detained inside 26 Federal Plaza and beyond must be released now.