LAUSD student to remain in immigration custody until asylum hearings

An immigration judge on Wednesday continued the case of Los Angeles high school senior Benjamin Guerrero Cruz, who was detained by federal agents while walking his dog in Van Nuys. 

The 18-year-old was detained on Aug. 8, according to the immigration advocacy organization Unión del Barrio. Teachers and students called for Guerrero Cruz's release during a rally outside the Los Angeles Unified School District headquarters in August. 

"If you're not with your family, you're not okay, right? You're alone," said Rep. Luz Rivas, who represents the Guerrero Cruz's district.  "And I think what's okay is for him to be back home, reunited with his family." 

The Department of Homeland Security said Guerrero Cruz immigrated from Chile and remained in the U.S. after his visa expired in 2023.

The attorneys representing the 18-year-old failed to submit the necessary asylum paperwork before the Nov. 5 deadline. However, the judge continued the case and gave Guerrero Cruz's attorneys until Dec. 2 to submit the forms. 

"In a few weeks, we hope that, you know, there's better news than today," Rivas said. 

Guerrero Cruz will remain in the Adelanto Detention Center until his next asylum hearing in December. 

"He's a young kid," Rivas said. "They're treating him like he's a criminal, like an older person. He's just a young boy from Van Nuys that should be in school."