A Chicago Public Schools senior is still being held in ICE custody even after his mother was released, leaving classmates, teachers, and supporters calling for answers.
According to CBS Chicago, Ricardo Navarrete, an 18-year-old senior at Chicago Public Schools’ Stephen Tyng Mather High School, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after attending a scheduled immigration check-in with his mother earlier this year. While his mother, Liliana, has since been released, Ricardo remains in a detention facility in Kentucky as his legal battle continues.
The teen, who moved to Chicago from Colombia with his mother in 2022 while seeking asylum, had been preparing to graduate high school and continue playing soccer at college. Friends and supporters say his detention has shaken the school community, especially as graduation and prom approach.
According to reports, Ricardo and his mother were taken into custody during what attorneys described as a routine immigration-related appointment. Legal advocates have argued that his continued detention is unjust and are fighting for his release through the court system. A recent federal ruling has reportedly opened the door for detainees in Kentucky to seek bond hearings, giving supporters hope he could soon return home.
Back in Chicago, classmates, teammates, and community members have rallied around Ricardo, raising money for legal expenses and publicly calling for his release. Supporters say the high school senior should be allowed to finish school, attend graduation, and continue building the future he worked toward.
For now, Ricardo remains in ICE custody as his case moves through immigration court, while many in Chicago continue pushing for answers — and hoping he will soon reunite with his family and classmates.
