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NYC Files Legal Brief to Free Bronx Student Detained by ICE

City lawyers cite his credible fear finding to challenge ICE’s courthouse arrest tactics.

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Overview

  • New York City’s Law Department submitted an amicus brief in federal court on June 2 urging the release of 20-year-old Dylan Lopez Contreras.
  • Contreras was taken into ICE custody on May 21 after appearing for a routine immigration hearing in Lower Manhattan.
  • The brief warns that using court appearances to arrest immigrants risks deterring community members from engaging with the legal system.
  • Contreras passed a credible fear interview with an asylum officer, halting his immediate deportation under expedited removal rules.
  • Mayor Eric Adams initially distanced himself from the case before backing the city’s intervention under pressure from advocates and officials.