A Central Texas high school student who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents earlier this month will soon be able to come home and walk the stage to graduate. A federal judge recently ordered the release of 18-year-old Luis Fernando Cabrera Chavarria from immigration detention, according to U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas.
The congressman has been advocating for the release of Chavarria over the past two weeks after he was pulled over on his way home from work and subsequently detained by immigration authorities in early May. Chavarria is a student-athlete at Northeast Early College High School in Austin ISD. His release now means Chavarria can be a part of his upcoming graduation ceremony set for June 2.
“This is a good day for Austin. Luis Fernando Cabrera belongs on the graduation stage, not in a detention facility,” Casar said in a news release. “Luis’ release is proof that all of us speaking out for the rights of our neighbors matters. Keep speaking up and fighting back.”
On May 1, Chavarria was reportedly driving home from his shift at Popeyes around 2 a.m. when a Texas State Trooper pulled him over along Interstate 35 in Austin for an expired registration. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) told MySA that during the traffic stop, the trooper was unable to verify the driver’s identity through DPS databases.
After further investigation, the trooper “determined the driver was not lawfully present in the United States and contacted ICE for assistance.” Chavarria came to the United States from Mexico in 2019 when he was 11-years-old seeking asylum.
Casar demanded Cabera’s release shortly after his detention and visited him at the Karnes County detention facility earlier this week. KXAN reports that U.S. District Judge Jason Pulliam granted Cabrera’s habeas corpus petition and ordered ICE to release him before May 22.
According to federal court records, Pulliam granted Chavarria’s release because he had no known criminal history, no indication of a flight risk or danger to the community and he had been complying with the terms of a prior release.
“This is a huge win for his family, for him and for our entire community,” Casar said in a post on X. “Trump wants you to feel powerless. But speaking out for the rights of our neighbors matters, and this is proof. Now let’s get Luis home.”