{"id":168522,"date":"2026-03-19T20:16:17","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T20:16:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/168522\/"},"modified":"2026-03-19T20:16:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T20:16:17","slug":"student-speaks-out-after-ice-detention-thank-you-nyc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/168522\/","title":{"rendered":"Student speaks out after ICE detention: \u2018Thank you, NYC\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) \u2013 A Bronx high school student detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement<\/a> spoke out on Thursday after his release.<\/p>\n

Dylan Contreras, a 20-year-old who was seeking asylum from Venezuela, was the first New York City high school student \u201cabducted\u201d by ICE<\/a>, according to the New York Immigration Coalition.<\/p>\n

Discover more local reporting on our homepage <\/a><\/p>\n

Speaking at Middle Collegiate Church in the East Village, Contreras expressed gratitude for everyone who helped with his release.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to thank all New York City, every single person that has stepped up, held my hand through all of this,\u201d Contreras said, speaking in Spanish with an interpreter. \u201cI\u2019m not going to get tired of thanking everyone here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Contreras was released from a facility in Pennsylvania after being detained during an immigration hearing in Lower Manhattan while going through the legal process of seeking asylum<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Department of Homeland Security said Contreras illegally entered the United States from Venezuela during the Biden administration and that he had been encountered at the border and released into the country.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, Contreras reminded New Yorkers of the many people still detained.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to thank everyone who doesn\u2019t forget about the people that are still in there. Because as much as I\u2019m happy that I\u2019m free\u2026 I\u2019m still sad that there are people still in there unjustly, that deserve to be free as well,\u201d Contreras said.<\/p>\n

More Local News <\/a><\/p>\n

Much of the city celebrated alongside the Bronx high school student, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who was at Middle Collegiate Church on Thursday to greet Contreras.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat should have been a time for him to focus on finishing high school instead became 10 long months of isolation,\u201d Mamdani said in a post to X<\/a>. \u201cThroughout this injustice, Dylan has shown remarkable strength, resilience, and courage.<\/p>\n

Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here <\/a>and follow her on Twitter here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.<\/p>\n

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. <\/a><\/p>\n