Manuel-Andres was granted SIJ status by a court in Kentucky but was stuck on an ever-growing waiting list for an available visa, which would allow him to apply for his green card. Manuel-Andres was allowed to stay in the country while awaiting the visa due to a deferred action order, which protected him from deportation and removal proceedings.

As of June 6, the DHS rescinded its policy of granting deferred action to those with SIJ status when a visa is not immediately available.

Spellberg said the teen, like others in the SIJ program who are waiting for visas, are in a Catch-22. If they leave the U.S., they’ll automatically lose SIJ status. But without deferred action or a visa, they’re liable to be arrested on immigration charges.

“Now that there’s no safety during your waiting period, it’s almost like what’s the point of the visa?” Spellberg said. “You’re not protecting these vulnerable populations. A state court has to find that it is not in the young person’s, the juvenile’s, best interest to return to their home country. The suggestion that SIJ grantees should have to return home is preposterous.”

Luma Mufleh, CEO of Fugees Family, said Manuel-Andres began the legal process to receive citizenship over a year and a half ago.

“People say, ‘Well, do it the legal way,’” Mufleh said. “He did. He did do it the legal way, and he doesn’t have a criminal record, he doesn’t even have traffic violations, and he’s 18. He’s a kid.”

Spellberg was “thrilled” Manuel-Andres was released but said waiting for an immigration hearing date could take years. In the meantime, Spellberg said the focus on the case will now be finding other forms of relief that Manuel-Andres could be eligible for in order to further prove his case to remain in the U.S.

‘You could feel the love, the concern’

Weeks earlier, Manuel-Andres had walked the stage at graduation. But on June 4, he sat inside a jail cell in Grayson County.

He had been picked up by ICE officers in a raid meant to arrest another man, who advocates for Manuel-Andres said doesn’t reside at the complex. Instead, Manuel-Andres and his father were arrested and moved from one detention facility to another in an effort to “forum shop,” or move them into a district with a judge more favorable to ICE’s cause, Spellberg said.

Back in Bowling Green, those who knew Manuel-Andres were shocked that the kind, respectful student they knew had been taken by ICE. Leslie Perkins, who taught Manuel-Andres and had attended his graduation, said she cried upon hearing the news.

“Anytime we would get a new student in, Ernesto was one of those students I automatically tried to connect that new student with because I knew that Ernesto would be an exemplary student,” Perkins said. “So they would have a great role model, and he would be just kind to them. That’s the kind of student that Ernesto is.”

Perkins said people from across the political spectrum in Bowling Green are coming together to support Manuel-Andres. A welcome home party was held June 25 as Manuel-Andres arrived back in Bowling Green.

“If there’s one bright spot in this whole scenario, it would be that Bowling Green has definitely come out to support Ernesto,” Perkins said. “I’ve attended two protests. I’ve attended a prayer vigil, and all three of those events, you could feel the love, the concern and the support. People really want to get involved and take action to help Ernesto, and not just Ernesto, but to put a spotlight on so many other kids who’re in the same situation that are being illegally detained.”

Reach reporter Keely Doll at kdoll@courierjournal.com.