Court hearing set for Chicago Public Schools senior being held by ICE
A court hearing was set for Tuesday for a young soccer star who attends Stephen Tyng Mather High School in Chicago, but is now being held in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Ricardo Navarette is set to graduate from Mather, at 5835 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago's West Ridge community, at the end of this month. Senior prom is this weekend.
But Navarette likely won't make either milestone, as he is being held in an ICE detention facility in Kentucky. His first court appearance is Tuesday.
Following a federal ruling that came down last week, non-citizens detained in Kentucky and several neighboring states are now eligible for bond — something his attorneys will now pursue.
CBS News Chicago got a hold of Navarette at the detention facility.
"Every day it's hard to be here," he said, "because when you wake up, you see the four big walls."
Navarette and his mother, Liliana, were arrested by ICE in March during a scheduled check-in for their asylum case. Their attorneys said they are being illegally detained.
The mother and son fled Colombia to move to Chicago in 2022. In the time since, Ricardo Navarette has thrived at Mather, especially on the soccer field.
A teammate's mom is now raising money for the family's legal fees.
"The fact of the matter is, they're not criminals. they've done nothing wrong," said Kristy Morrow. "They're here, working, looking for a better life. here on the North Side of Chicago. They are the fabric of our community."
Morrow's fundraiser has climbed over $50,000 to help cover legal fees and other expenses.
CBS News Chicago asked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security about the Navarettes' case. A spokesperson responded, "This administration is not going to ignore the rule of law.
CBS News Chicago also asked the Chicago Public Schools how many students are in similar positions — not attending class because they're in federal custody related to immigration enforcement. A spokesperson said CPS does not track such data.
