ICE detains 7-year-old NYC public school student during intensified immigration enforcement efforts.

Federal immigration authorities have recently detained a 7-year-old student from a New York City public school, marking her as the youngest known local child to face such a situation during the second Trump administration. The student, identified only as Dayra, hails from Ecuador and attends P.S. 89 The Jose Peralta School of Dreamers, located in Queens. She and her mother, Martha, were separated during an immigration check-in at 26 Federal Plaza on Tuesday, leaving her 19-year-old brother, Manuel, in a different detention facility.

Advocates closely involved with Dayra’s family reported that both she and her mother are now held at a detention center in Texas. As of the latest updates, Martha has been located at the South Texas Family Residential Center, among the largest immigration facilities in the country, which reopened this year after being closed by the Biden administration. The center’s locator tool does not provide information regarding detainees under the age of 18.

Concerns for their safety and welfare are pronounced, as Dayra’s mother previously fled Ecuador to escape domestic violence. Although Martha has faced deportation orders stemming from an asylum claim denial, the family continued to comply with required check-ins to U.S. immigration authorities. Sources indicate that her son, Manuel, was initially held at 26 Federal Plaza before being transferred to a detention facility in Newark, New Jersey. He recently completed high school and was set to begin college.

The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has not yet commented on the situation. Local leaders, including Councilman Shekar Krishnan, have expressed serious concern regarding the family’s treatment. Krishnan highlighted the distressing nature of family separations and emphasized efforts to advocate for their reunion.

P.S. 89, where Dayra is enrolled, offers a dual-language program in Spanish and plans to launch a similar initiative for Bengali speakers. The school serves a diverse population, with more than half of its students learning English as a new language.

Community advocates have voiced strong objections to the actions of federal immigration authorities, noting the detrimental impact of such policies on immigrant families. They assert that the environment fostered by these policies creates a climate of fear among vulnerable populations. Dayra’s situation reflects broader trends of detentions affecting students in New York, as advocacy groups have increasingly rallied for the protection of immigrants facing deportation.

The Patchogue-Medford School District, where Manuel attended high school, has not responded to inquiries regarding these developments. However, local public school officials have indicated their commitment to support families through legal aid and resources, reaffirming a stance of solidarity with all students and their families in the educational system.

As the new school year approaches, with classes scheduled to begin on September 4, advocates continue to push for action to secure the release of those detained. The situation underscores ongoing discussions around immigration policy and its direct impact on communities in New York and beyond.

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