Detroit Teen Arrest Sparks Outrage Over Immigration Enforcement Policies

This story was originally published in Outlier Media. Sign up for their newsletters here.

In the early hours of a seemingly ordinary day last month, a Detroit teenager’s life was abruptly disrupted as federal immigration agents stormed her home. Sixteen-year-old Kerly Sosa Rivero was jolted from her sleep, confronted by agents who entered with weapons drawn, as her cousin faced a similar ordeal.

Their objective was an elusive migrant, yet the result was the detention of Kerly and three of her family members—despite their pending asylum hearings due to the dire situation in Venezuela. Activists denounced these actions as “kidnappings,” while federal authorities, under a deportation-focused administration, viewed them as routine operations.

Kerly’s aspirations are vast, according to her mother Angélica Rivero, who shared with Outlier Media, “My daughter has so many dreams. She wants to learn English and go to university.”

Currently, both Kerly and Antony, fellow students at Western International High School, are held at the South Texas Family Residential Center, while one parent of each is detained at an ICE-run facility. Their attorney, Kimberly Renaud, is advocating for their release to ensure they can attend their court dates in Detroit.

Prior to Thanksgiving, another student from the school, Mor Ba, a 19-year-old Senegalese asylum seeker, was similarly detained. ICE records indicate his detention at the North Lake Correctional Facility.

Protesters gathered in Detroit to demand the release of these young detainees, urging school district officials to denounce the arrests and enhance their sanctuary policies. However, district representatives have yet to respond.

The journey to a new home

Kerly’s journey to the U.S. began when her family fled Venezuela, seeking refuge from the country’s economic and political turmoil. After spending five years in Colombia, her father decided to pursue better opportunities elsewhere, leading them to make the arduous journey through the Darién Gap before reaching Detroit in 2023.

In Detroit, Kerly’s father found employment at a local restaurant, and Kerly, along with her cousin, soon followed suit. Her mother, Angélica, expressed pride in her daughter’s work ethic and determination to help support the family.

Kristen Schoettle, Kerly’s English teacher, praised her as a curious and engaged student, always eager to learn more and share her interests.

Despite the challenges, Kerly harbors hopes of attending college—an aspiration her parents never had the chance to achieve. Yet, her future hangs in the balance as she faces the threat of deportation, a prospect that brings her deep concern.

Caught in a dragnet

Kristen Schoettle

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Courtesy photo

The immigration agents who raided Kerly’s home were not there for her or her father, both of whom had pending asylum applications. Instead, they sought an Ecuadorean migrant linked to an alleged assault and previous escape from custody. The intended target was not present during the raid but was later apprehended.

John Morris, the chief patrol agent for U.S. Customs and Border Patrol in Detroit, highlighted the capture of the intended target but omitted the collateral impact on the two teenagers. This incident aligns with trends immigration experts have noted under policies that roll back protections for asylum-seekers.

Christine Sauve, from the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, remarked, “While it’s egregious that it’s happening with young people and students, this is something we’re seeing across the board.”

This article first appeared on Outlier Media and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.