Over the past few weeks, ICE has unnecessarily detained five Detroit students who are seeking asylum. Kerly (16), Mor (19), Santiago (17), Antony (16) and Sebastian (19) are now facing the risk of deportation. Four of the students attend Western International in Detroit, and another attends school in Ecorse. We stand in solidarity with them and demand their immediate release.

Kerly and Antony, cousins, were detained along with a parent each in a raid on the east side of the city when ICE was supposedly looking for another suspect. They are now being held in detention in Texas and have court dates coming up in the next two weeks. We are grateful to lawyers who have stepped in to provide services, but now we need to raise funds.

Mor was detained the evening before Thanksgiving on his way to work. The officer who pulled him over said they were looking for another man, and when Mor gave his ID to show he was not that person, the officer decided to detain him anyway. Mor is detained at the Baldwin Immigration Center in Northern Michigan.

Santiago was pulled over by Fraser Police with his mother on the evening of December 7th. The police did not provide any reason for the stop, but instead called ICE and the two were taken into ICE custody. Due to the rapid action of Detroit lawyers and activists, a federal judge has signed an order prohibiting ICE from moving them to the family immigration center in Texas.

Sebastian was picked up by ICE while at an ATM in November. He has a past head injury, and has currently been without his medication for a month. He's currently being detained at Northlake Processing Center in Baldwin, MI.

All five students are seeking safety from persecution in their home countries. All five have permission to stay in the United States while their asylum cases are considered. All five deserve to be able to stay in Detroit to finish their schooling, stay with their family, and go through the asylum process.

Thousands of people have been showing up for these students through signing petitions, attending rallies, re-sharing social media posts, and asking friends and colleagues what else is needed. It’s clear that the whole Detroit community cares for them and is standing in their corner, so we want to make sure you’re informed as much as possible about their cases and how to help.

Our Demands:

ICE:

1. Release our students and their parents from custody immediately

2. Comply with the Federal Judge’s order and return Santiago and his mother to Michigan

DPSCD:

1. We demand that Dr. Vitti and the DPSCD School Board make a statement publicly calling for the release of our four students

2. Reaffirm and strengthen the Sanctuary District Policy, including expanding protections to yellow busses and providing students at risk to legal services and in-school counseling

3. Provide safe transportation to school for immigrant families

4. Prioritize ESL/MLL education

5. Provide updated Know Your Rights information to all students and families

6. Maintain clear and timely communication regarding immigration policy and changes with the school community

DPD, MSP, and all Local Metro Detroit Police Departments:

1. Immediately stop all cooperation with ICE

Calls to Action:

• Donate - The families of these students are now without several heads of household, and are struggling to pay rent for December. Additionally, even though we’ve been able to secure some pro bono legal work, there is still going to be at least some amount of court fees. Please donate what you can by sending funds to @peoplesassemblydetroit on Venmo, or $peoplesassembly on CashApp with the note “for students”.

• Join Us - Get involved with the People's Assembly, 482Forward, MIStudentsDream, ABISA, or another local organization focused on supporting immigrants in Detroit.

• Spread the Word - We are asking you to publicly share our demands and our statement. We are also asking for public support from all politicians, labor unions, and civil rights organizations.