Undocumented Immigrant Faces Deportation Amid Advocacy

Community members gather to advocate for the rights of immigrant students in front of a school.

News Summary

An undocumented immigrant, Maykol Bogoya-Duarte, faces deportation after being arrested during a traffic stop. Advocacy groups are rallying for his release, highlighting concerns over immigration policies that affect students’ education and community trust. Maykol, a high school student with only 3.5 credits left to graduate, has drawn significant attention as community members call for policy changes to better support immigrant students.

Detroit, Michigan – An 18-year-old undocumented immigrant, Maykol Bogoya-Duarte, is facing imminent deportation following his arrest during a traffic stop on May 20. Maykol, a student at Western International High School, was attempting to join a school field trip to Lake Erie Metropark at the time. His case has drawn significant attention and prompted advocacy for his release amid broader discussions about immigration policies affecting students.

Maykol has approximately one semester remaining to complete his high school education, requiring only 3.5 credits to graduate. His original plans involved returning to Colombia with his mother after finishing school. However, during a traffic stop for tailgating, local police found themselves unable to communicate with him due to a language barrier, which led them to contact Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for assistance.

Critics of the police response have argued that turning to Border Patrol agents instead of relying on internal translation services is an example of racial profiling. Furthermore, it has been revealed that Maykol had been issued a final deportation order slated for 2024 while he was in the process of securing the necessary travel documents, including his Colombian passport, to comply with the order.

After his arrest, Maykol was transferred from the Chippewa County Correctional Facility to a detention center in Louisiana, preventing him from attending his final weeks of classes. His attorney has indicated compliance with the deportation order, but highlighted the delays in obtaining the necessary documentation for his passport.

Community groups have rallied in support of Maykol’s release, receiving nearly 900 signatures on a petition advocating for his freedom. These groups include 482Forward, MI Students Dream, and the People’s Assembly. Efforts to draw attention to Maykol’s situation have reached Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and numerous Democratic congressional representatives, as well as leadership within the Detroit school district.

The public outcry has been amplified by comparisons to other similar cases in New York and Massachusetts where detained students received significant community support. At a recent Detroit Public Schools Community District meeting, over 100 local residents protested, expressing their concern over Maykol’s treatment. District officials also conveyed their distress regarding his situation, acknowledging the limitations of their intervention options despite maintaining a sanctuary district policy aimed at supporting immigrant students.

In a troubling turn of events, Maykol was officially deported back to Colombia on June 11, 2025, shortly after his petition to remain in the United States and complete his education was denied by ICE. This outcome serves to illustrate the severe consequences of current immigration policies, emphasizing the emotional and educational toll of family separations on students like Maykol.

The incident raises important questions about the interactions between local law enforcement and federal immigration agencies. Community advocates express concern that such collaborations undermine trust within immigrant communities, creating an environment where cooperation with police becomes increasingly difficult.

Advocacy for policy improvements is ongoing, with community members and organizations continuing to push for changes that would better support immigrant students and protect their rights within educational institutions. As this case has highlighted, the experiences of students facing deportation can have far-reaching effects not just on their education, but also on the larger fabric of community relations and trust.