Dylan Lopez Contreras, the first high school student to be detained by ICE under the second Trump administration was welcomed home on Thursday in Lower Manhattan by advocates and top elected officials.
Photo by Dean Moses
Dylan Lopez Contreras, the first NYC high school student to be detained by ICE under the second Trump administration, was welcomed home on Thursday in Lower Manhattan with fanfare from local elected officials and tears of joy from advocates who fought 10 months for his freedom.
The celebration took place inside the East Village’s Middle Collegiate Church, where Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani came to greet the young man and his mother, Raiza Contreras.
Contreras shared a brief, emotional moment with his mother as speakers talked of his freedom, embracing one another with tears in their eyes.
While he is now free to return to school and continue his pending asylum case, he was also fitted with an ankle monitor to be tracked by the Department of Homeland Security. Still, despite all that he has been through, Contreras says his biggest concern remains those who are still in ICE detention.
“I want to thank everyone who doesn’t forget about the people that are still in there. Because as happy as I am that I’m free and I’m out here, I’m still sad that there are people still in there unjustly that deserve to be free as well,” Contreras said with the help of a translator. “I wish I had the opportunity to bring them all with me.”
With tears in her eyes, Contreras’ mother also gave her thanks to those who have advocated for her son’s release.
“I appreciate everyone who has continued to support us in all aspects,” Raiza Contreras said. “I can’t put it into words.”
Mayor to Dylan Lopez Contreras: ‘We are so grateful that you are home’
Mamdani lamented the time the Contrerases lost with each other, and reinforced that the Big Apple will always their home.
“He was put in detention for nearly a year, and he was robbed of what should have been his. Because, above all else, Dylan is a New Yorker. He belongs in New York City; this city has been missing him,” Mamdani said, turning to the younger Contreras. “We are so grateful. We are so grateful that you are home.”
“He was put in detention, detention for nearly a year, and he was robbed of what should have been his. Because, above all else, Dylan is a New Yorker. He belongs in New York City, this city has been missing him,” Mamdani said.Photo by Dean Moses 
The celebration took place inside the East Village’s Middle Collegiate Church.Photo by Dean Moses 
Dylan Lopez Contreras and his mother hold hands.Photo by Dean Moses
Dylan Lopez Contreras, who lives in the Bronx, entered the United States legally and was granted Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. He attended the ELLIS Preparatory Academy and obtained work authorization in an effort to support his mother.
But on May 21, 2025, he was taken into custody inside 290 Broadway on May 21, 2025, while seeking asylum from his native Venezuela. Masked ICE agents arrested him outside his court hearing, something his family and legal team maintained was wrongful detainment.
The Department of Homeland Security has argued that the 20-year-old entered the United States illegally in April 2024, a claim his lawyers and supporters strongly disputed. Contreras’ attorneys maintained that he entered the country legally, applied for asylum in a timely manner, and complied with all court requirements.
A federal judge ultimately ordered Contreras last September to be deported; the teen’s attorneys appealed the ruling.
However, on March 18, Contreras finally received the freedom for which he and his family long fought, walking out of the Moshannon Valley ICE Processing Center in Philipsburg, PA. This came after advocates and politicians like Senator Chuck Schumer and Hochul advocated for his freedom.
On Thursday, the governor rejoiced over Contreras’ reunion with his family while taking digs at outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversaw the Trump administration’s ICE crackdown and is resigning at the end of this month.
“I am grateful, hopeful that now that the reign of terror unleashed by Kristi Noem has ended, we can start seeing some sanity. I had a conversation in person with [Trump Border Czar] Tom Homan not long ago, and I gave him the names of high school students that I wanted released. Dylan was at the top of that list,” Hochul said.
“Embrace this young man, a man of courage, resilience; he never gave up, and his mom was extraordinary,” the governor added.
Dylan Lopez Contreras and his mother embrace.Photo by Dean Moses 
While he is now free to return to school and continue his pending asylum case, he was also fitted with an ankle monitor to be tracked by DHS.Photo by Dean Moses