The Department of Homeland Security has issued a clarification after the detention of a 16-year-old boy who was supposed to have special juvenile status raised concerns. Joel Camas went to an ICE check-in last week with City Comptroller Brad Lander and his lawyer. There, he was taken into custody.
In an X post, Lander described what happened. “Joel Camas is a 16 yr-old NYC high schooler in the Bronx. He loves soccer & pepperoni pizza. Yesterday, his lawyer and I accompanied him to an ICE check-in. He has Special Immigrant Juvenile Status—it should have been fine. But it was not,” Lander wrote.
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Lander continued in the comment section, “ICE detained him. Despite the fact he has Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. That he’s a model student. That he showed up for his check-in. That he’s 16. He may be the first unaccompanied minor detained by Trump this term.”
“His lawyer, the indomitable Beth Baltimore from @Door_NYC, just filed a habeas petition with @NYCLU. I pray it works, and soon. He was eager to get back to class. But Bronx HS student Dylan Contreras is still in ICE detention, after he was taken back in May,” he added.
Who is Joel Camas?
Camas is an 11th grader at Gotham Collaborative High School in the Bronx, according to ABC7. The Ecuadorian immigrant was living with relatives in the Bronx after his mother recently returned to Ecuador to avoid arrest.
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Camas and his mother originally sought asylum in the United States because of gang violence in Ecuador, The City reported. Their asylum application, however, was unsuccessful. This prompted a removal order by an immigration judge in February 2024, but Camas was granted protection in family court in April.
Camas being detained has triggered backlash. Beth Baltimore, director of legal services for The Door, highlighted the plight of migrants, saying, according to CBS New York, “Every day is just, there’s another terrifying thing that’s happening.”
Meanwhile, the Civil Liberties Union and the organization representing Joel filed a Habeas petition, seeking Camas’ release and a cessation of the removal order to ensure he can remain in school while continuing his journey towards lawful permanent residence. “What is going to happen to my son? Right now, there’s a lot of violence here and I don’t want him to come back to that … Right now, I have no work,” said Camas’ mother, Elvia Chafla, in a statement.
Amid the criticism and concern, however, DHS has shared a different narrative. It shared an X post by The Door about Camas’ detention, and claimed to reveal the “REAL story.” “On Feb. 28, 2024, under the BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, Joel Camas and his mother were issued finals orders of removal from a federal judge,” wrote DHS.
“His mother self-deported to Ecuador and Camas remained in the USA alone as a minor. Fortunately, now Mr. Camas will be reunited with family,” it added.
