Governor Kathy Hochul said on March 18 that Dylan Lopez Contreras, a public school student who had been detained by federal immigration agents, has been released and reunited with his family after ten months in detention. Hochul said she met earlier this month with Tom Homan to urge Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and federal law enforcement to focus on real threats rather than targeting law-abiding residents of New York.
Hochul described her efforts to advocate for the release of Lopez Contreras, whom she called a young public school student “unjustly taken by federal immigration agents last year.” She said, “Earlier this month, I met with Tom Homan to make an appeal for ICE and federal law enforcement to focus on real threats and to stop the attacks on law-abiding people who call New York home. As part of this meeting I urged the release of Dylan Lopez Contreras, a young public school student who was unjustly taken by federal immigration agents last year.”
The governor expressed relief at the student’s release but emphasized that more needs to be done. “Today, after ten long, painful months in ICE detention, Dylan is finally being reunited with his family,” Hochul said.
She also called for broader action from the federal government regarding others affected by similar detentions. “While I am relieved that Dylan has been released, we cannot stop here. The federal government must work with New York to return all those who have been wrongfully taken and separated from their families,” Hochul said.
The situation highlights ongoing concerns about immigration enforcement practices in New York and their impact on families and communities.