City Hall backs Bronx student detained by ICE while pursuing dream of being mechanic

The City of New York has formally joined the legal fight to free a Bronx high school student held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, filing a brief in support of his petition for release.

Joel Camas, a 16-year-old junior at Gotham Collaborative High School, who hoped to become a certified mechanic, was taken into custody during a routine ICE check-in in October despite having an approved Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) and a pathway toward a green card, according to court filings.

The student, who is originally from Ecuador, arrived in New York with his mother in late 2022 and has been living with family members. He began the Family Court process in May 2024 after his father abandoned him, per court filings. In December 2024, a Bronx County Family Court judge ruled that it was not in his best interest to return to Ecuador, finding that he should remain in the United States and benefit from the protections available to him as a vulnerable youth, according to his attorneys.

Joel’s lawyers say “he did exactly what the government required” by appearing with counsel for a scheduled ICE check-in at 26 Federal Plaza on Oct. 23.

“Instead of being sent back to school to attend his second period U.S. history class,” his lawyers said he was directed to The New York Varick Immigration Court, and “detained without notice or individualized explanation” before being transferred to Office of Refugee Resettlement custody in the Bronx that same day.

Joel’s removal order is currently stayed by the judge in his habeas case, but he remains detained in the ORR facility.

About four weeks before Joel was detained, his mother, Elvia Chafla, appeared for her own check-in at the immigration court in Lower Manhattan. She had been under an ICE order of supervision and was enrolled in the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program, wearing an ankle monitor since July 2025 and complying with all reporting requirements, according to legal filings.

At that Sept. 22 appointment, ICE officials told her that Joel would need to report the following month. Believing that her voluntary departure would satisfy the agency and improve her son’s chances of staying in the United States, she returned to Ecuador on September 27. She understood that Joel, who had an approved pathway to permanent residency, would be permitted to remain, while she would not.

City’s special interest

In court filings, city officials argued Monday that his detention disrupts his education and jeopardizes the stability of local schools. The city said it has a “special interest” in ensuring that immigrant students can access public education without interruption, noting that prolonged detention harms students like Joel and their peers. The filing highlighted his strong academic record, involvement in school programs, and participation in New York City’s youth support network, The Door.

“Accordingly, the detention of students by ICE threatens to undo in one stroke the hard work done by City schools and teachers over a period of months or years,” the city wrote in its amicus brief. “These detentions have not only impacted the detained students but have rippled throughout the City’s education system, leaving teachers reeling and frightening
parents and peers.”

They note that the teen is a committed student with 100% attendance so far this year, has been described by school staff as responsible and engaged student who “wants to learn English so badly that he refuses materials in his native language.”

It goes on to describe him as a leader in his College and Career Readiness class, and was working towards his goal of becoming a certified mechanic.

Photo courtesy of Camas family

Joel’s attorney, Beth Baltimore of The Door’s Legal Services Center, emphasized that her client “does not pose a threat to public safety” and has “fully complied with each and every imposed condition” from ICE. Baltimore noted that he has no criminal history aside from his detention by ICE upon entry into the United States to seek asylum with his mother. She urged the agency to stay his removal and allow him to remain in the city while pursuing permanent residency.

Baltimore’s filing highlighted the potential harm of removal, stating that deporting the teen now “would forever block him from accessing the protections Congress specifically enacted for the benefit of children like him” and undermine the intent of the SIJS statute.

The 16-year-old is also a member of The Door, a youth development agency providing legal assistance, counseling, educational support, and career services. His attorney stated that these supports further reduce the risk of flight and enable him to continue his education safely in New York.

ICE and U.S. attorneys for the Southern District of New York did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Mayor Eric Adams, however, said the cit is “proud to support his petition for justice.”

“Our public schools should be safe, nurturing places where any child can get the best education and the tools they need to succeed,” said Adams following the filing of the amicus brief. “[Joel Camas] is a hard-working student, dedicated to his school work and future, who followed the proper immigration process. We are proud to support his petition for justice, just like we have done with the many other New York City Public School students who have been detained during routine immigration proceedings.”