Love continued to find a way Tuesday for two newlyweds who faced down masked ICE agents in immigration court.
Russian immigrant Maksim Reviaka and his wife, Brooklyn native, Akeela Lucius, had only been married 10 days when they faced a immigration judge in Lower Manhattan on July 1 with one question on their minds: What does it take to achieve and keep the American dream?
amNewYork followed the pair from wedding vows on the Upper West Side last month to the 12th floor of 26 Federal Plaza where, through fear and uncertainty, they remained strong. The looming judge’s decision, however, was not the only thing the lovers had to contend with. Their hearing took place at the end of a corridor swarming with masked ICE agents.
When Reviaka had to use the restroom, he was forced to navigate through a legion of armed men who were in the process of detaining fellow immigrants, leaving him to wonder if this would also be his future.
“I felt intimidated walking by the ICE agents; it felt like that room was specifically made for people being deported,” Reviaka said.
Immigration judge gives them a break
Upon finally meeting a judge, both Reviaka and Lucius were able to breathe a sigh of relief. They were instructed to make adjustments to their I-589 form and return to court in one week for a follow-up hearing. Reviaka was free to go.
“I have no idea what’s going to happen in a week but I’ll be prepared for the July 8th meeting,” Reviaka said.
While she acknowledged that there is much more work ahead, Lucius declared that, at least for now, she is grateful to the judge for giving the newlyweds a new lease on life.
“She gave us a chance and an opportunity,” Lucius said.
From the start, the journey for the newlyweds has not been easy.
The young lovers met last year in a Midtown shelter in what they describe as a chance encounter. They swiftly became engaged, and their wedding was orchestrated by members of the New Sanctuary Coalition, a faith-based organization at the Second Presbyterian Church.
Their nuptials come amid turbulent times for immigrants as President Trump orders major crackdowns on immigration enforcement. Even so, the couple says they are prepared to weather the storm in pursuit of their American dream.
