Overview
- Johan Sandoval, a 22-year-old Savannah State baseball player, was arrested during a targeted ICE operation after agents stopped his car on July 3 and was held at the Buffalo processing center.
- His attorney says he was freed mid‑July on a $20,000 bond and ordered to wear an ankle monitor while removal proceedings continue and he awaits a possible return to campus.
- Department of Homeland Security records state Sandoval entered on an F-1 visa in 2022 and that his F-1 status was terminated in April 2025 for failing to comply with requirements.
- Family, university allies and immigrant advocates say the case likely involves a school SEVIS or Form I-20 paperwork issue that Sandoval could not access or correct, and they have hired lawyers and raised over $37,000 for his defense.
- The case underscores how SEVIS is managed by schools and the government, how clerical or administrative terminations can lead to detention for students, and it has prompted calls for clearer protections and review of student-visa enforcement.