Mother of Bronx high school student detained by ICE says family now lives in fear
Saturday marks one month since a Bronx high school student was taken into United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody following an immigration hearing.
Dylan, 20, was the first New York City public school student that we know of to be detained as part of the Trump administration's ramped-up enforcement.
It was the first high-profile arrest of its kind, not only sparking outrage and protests in the city, but giving us a glimpse at the strategies that federal agents are now using regularly – dismissing cases in immigration court before immigrants or those seeking asylum are detained and brought to parts unknown.
"The conditions in the facility are deplorable"
Dylan's mother, Raiza, spoke exclusively to CBS News New York's Doug Williams about the day she watched agents take her son away in handcuffs.
"We were leaving the hearing, but as we walked towards the elevator, we noticed these two men who were following us. They told us to move towards the right side and that we were arrested. I told my son, 'It's ICE,'" Raiza said in Spanish. "They were violent."
Raiza says Dylan was helping her raise his younger siblings, who are 7 and 10 years old, and it has been difficult to be without him.
"I'm a single mom and he is my support," she said.
The lawyers who represent the family say after his detainment, Dylan went from New York City to New Jersey, then to Texas, then to Louisiana, then to Pennsylvania, where he is now.
Raiza said she spoke to Dylan as recently as Thursday.
"A few days ago he told me they gave him rotten eggs for breakfast and he didn't eat them. Many times the food is spoiled," she said. "The conditions in the facility are deplorable. There are worms in the sink, and it's what they use to drink water ... He's felt sick, but instead of giving him meds, they just yell."
A Department of Homeland Security official said in a statement, in part, "ICE takes its commitment to promoting safe, secure, humane environments for those in our custody very seriously. It is a longstanding practice to provide comprehensive medical care from the moment an alien enters ICE custody."
DHS added that Dylan is "an illegal alien from Venezuela who illegally entered the U.S. more than one year ago."
"This is unjust"
Raiza was asked if this experience has changed how she feels about what America represents as a country and a place to live.
"We are trying to do things well, follow the law, and for this to happen, makes us fearful. This is unjust," she said.
Raiza said her days are spent working to bring her son home, but at night, she is left to think about how far away her son still is. She was emotional when asked how she's been able to sleep.
"I wait for his call at night. I pray to God for justice," she said.
Dylan has a court date set for early July.
