WASHINGTON, D.C. — FWD.us issued the following statement after Jose Contreras Díaz, a DACA recipient, was detained last night, upon his return to the United States: 

Yesterday, José Contreras Díaz, a 30-year-old DACA recipient, was on his way home to Texas on a flight facilitated by the Trump administration after they had granted him parole to return. Earlier this year, the administration unlawfully deported José to Honduras, a country he left when he was 8-years-old. 

Just as he was about to be reunited with his family and hold his newborn son for the first time, immigration agents detained him without giving any reason. FWD.us condemns the renewed detention of José and calls for his immediate release. 

“José Contreras Díaz did everything right. But even with lawful DACA status, he was arrested and deported. He’s waited months to meet his newborn son. Yesterday, instead of that reunion, as soon as he re-entered the country, he was immediately arrested by ICE again,” said Todd Schulte, President of FWD.us. “José needs to be released immediately. He has a son who has never met his father and a family that has already paid an unbearable price. No DACA recipient — no person — should have to go through what José has gone through. We are calling on Congress to pass permanent protections with a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers now — and on the Trump administration to release José immediately and put an end to the DACA renewal delays that are leaving hundreds of thousands of recipients in legal limbo.”

“I am shocked that José was granted parole only to be detained again upon arrival. The government made a commitment when it granted him parole, and detaining him upon arrival is a direct contradiction of that decision and raises serious legal questions that demand immediate answers,” said Stacy Tolchin, José Contreras Díaz’s Attorney. “We are working urgently to understand the legal basis for his detention, if any, but as it stands, this has no justification and is a moral outrage. This morning, we filed a habeas corpus petition to challenge his detention and demand his immediate release. José has a newborn son he has never held. Every hour he remains detained is an hour stolen from him and his family.”

For more information about the current attacks on DACA recipients and information about how DACA recipients contribute to our communities and economy, contact us at press@fwd.us.