A student who has been in the United States since childhood was detained by federal immigration authorities on the day before his birthday.
Derrick Ozamah, 26, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents alongside his mother, Veronica Ozamah, outside of their home in Tucson, Arizona, just as they were about to leave to run errands on June 5.
His wife, Clara Fuentes Cervantes, 25, told Newsweek that five unmarked vehicles arrived at their residence, and plainclothes officers detained her husband and mother-in-law. She said that ICE agents did not present a warrant, and they acted intimidating.
“I was taken by surprise, and I’m stressed, and I feel like I can’t do anything. I feel like I’m just stuck in a box, and I just feel like I can’t do much,” Clara said.
Derrick, who arrived in the U.S. in 2016 on a student visa, studied at Iona College in New York before transferring to the University of Arizona, where he completed his bachelor’s degree in architecture.
Initially planning to pursue his master’s at Arizona as well, he had to reconsider his path due to budget cuts at the university. This led him to apply to other institutions, ultimately earning acceptance into the master’s program for Environmental Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, where he is currently enrolled.
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Clara is currently studying to become a doctor and has been living in Tucson for two months. As Derrick remains in detention, Clara remains committed to fighting for his release and urging the public to see the human impact behind immigration policies.
https://www.newsweek.com/derrick-ozamah-detained-ice-birthday-2084080