South LA teen detained after high school graduation released from ICE detention center

Wilbur Garcia is finally heading home nearly a month after immigration agents detained him during an asylum appointment that was scheduled a day after his high school graduation.

Speaking in Spanish, the 18-year-old said he's relieved to be back at his family's South Los Angeles home, but sad that he couldn't celebrate graduating with honors with his family. 

He added that he spent more than two weeks at the Adelanto ICE detention center and described the conditions inside the facility. 

Garcia said that more than once, sewage overflowed into the showers and into every cell. With minimal breakfast and lunch provided to them, detainees had to buy their dinner. Without any money to eat or call home, fellow detainees, most of whom were much older, helped Garcia. 

"Since several of them had children, they considered me as one of their own children," Garcia said. 

Garcia's family said they fled political persecution in Nicaragua. They said they've been diligent about their family's immigration check-ins throughout the years-long asylum process. 

His family's attorney said ICE detained Garcia because he was no longer covered under his mom's asylum application when he turned 18. 

After public defenders challenged that justification, authorities ordered Garcia to be released on June 26. He was told he won't be detained again as long as he abides by the law. 

The college-bound teen said he'll have no problem keeping his end of the bargain while taking pre-med classes.