Chalkbeat: In his own words: Dylan reveals what it’s like for the high schooler 3 months into his ICE detention

Chalkbeat: In his own words: Dylan reveals what it's like for the high schooler 3 months into his ICE detention

• September 12, 2025
• 11:47 am

In his first interview since he was detained by ICE in May during a routine immigration court appearance, our client Dylan told Chalkbeat that while three months in detention have taken a toll on him, the letters of support he's received from his friends, classmates and others have given him the strength to keep going.

In a cramped cell housing more than 60 people in the Northeast's largest detention facility, Dylan reflects on what it would mean to reunite with his family and friends and to pursue his educational aspirations-dreams that his cruel and unjust detention has put out of reach:

"The letters I have received and the support I've been given have kept me going," the 20-year-old said in Spanish, responding to questions in writing through his attorneys at the New York Legal Assistance Group. "Still, it is extremely stressful and distressing. I have seen fights, racism, and even death. It has given me many nightmares."

"The majority of the people here are depressed," Dylan wrote. "They spend most of the time talking about their last, or next, court decision, their family outside, or the injustice of being here."

Before Dylan's arrest, he was focused on his studies and helping his mom care for his two younger siblings, in part, through the money he made working as a delivery driver. He was busy making friends at ELLIS, sharing his arepas at lunch with them. He said he hoped to continue learning English to pursue a degree in the U.S. - a goal he said he still plans to work toward.

"This unjust detention has frustrated and paralyzed my education and effort momentarily," Dylan said. "But it won't make me give up on working hard toward my educational goals."

Read the full interview and story, originally published in Chalkbeat on Sept. 12, 2025.

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