Latest news with #YeonsooGo
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Purdue student reunites with family after release from days-long ICE detention
[Source] Yeonsoo Go, a 20-year-old South Korean student at Purdue University, has been released from federal immigration custody and reunited with her family in New York after being detained for four days in a case that sparked widespread community outcry. What happened: Go, the daughter of an Episcopal priest, had just completed a routine immigration hearing in Lower Manhattan on July 31 and was set to return later this month when ICE agents took her into custody. She was transferred to Richwood Correctional Center in Monroe, Louisiana, where she remained for the next three nights. Amid her detainment, loved ones, community members and local officials called for her release in protests across the city. Without any explanation, she was returned to New York and freed shortly before 8 p.m. Monday. 'I always had faith that [I'd] be out soon,' she told reporters as she walked out of 26 Federal Plaza. About Go: Go first arrived in the U.S. in March 2021 on an R-2 visa with her mother, Rev. Kyrie Kim, who became the first female Anglican priest ordained in Seoul's diocese. After completing high school in Scarsdale High as an honors student, she went on to Purdue's College of Pharmacy while remaining active in the Episcopal church. Trending on NextShark: 'We used to do midnight runs together and make sandwiches and meals for the homeless,' a friend named Caitlin told CBS New York. 'She's a college student, a daughter, a friend. She belongs here, not in a detention center.' While authorities claim Go is an 'illegal alien' who had 'overstayed her visa that expired more than two years ago,' her legal team says it remains valid through December 2025. What her family is saying: Rev. Kim, who welcomed her daughter back, expressed relief in their tearful reunion. 'I'm just happy that she's with me,' Kim said while acknowledging others in similar circumstances. The religious leader previously called the situation 'incomprehensible,' telling Yonhap News Agency she never expected her family to become targeted despite her work advocating for Korean immigrants. New York State Assemblymember Amy Paulin, who spoke with Go by phone, reportedly described her as 'happy, relieved and finally free.' Trending on NextShark: The big picture: Go's arrest as someone with no criminal record reflects a documented shift in the Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts. After White House officials set a daily arrest target of 3,000 in May, data shows more than half of those detained by ICE lack criminal convictions, far from the previous focus on targeting serious criminals. Go's case also follows that of Tae Heung 'Will' Kim, a South Korean-born researcher and legal permanent resident detained at San Francisco International Airport in July, contributing to concerns within the Korean American community. Trending on NextShark: This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Subscribe here now! Trending on NextShark: Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Priest's Daughter Told a Friend She Was Nervous Before ‘Routine' Visa Hearing. Then She Was Detained by ICE for 5 Days
'The pain, fear, and uncertainty she and her family endured over the past five days should never have happened,' an official said after Yeonsoo Go's releaseNEED TO KNOW A 20-year-old college student and priest's daughter was detained by immigrant officials following a visa hearing on July 31 Four days later, she was released on her own recognizance after the religious community rallied around her The U.S. Department of Homeland Security claimed that she "overstayed her visa that expired more than two years ago," but an attorney for the Episcopal Diocese of New York denies that, saying her visa was valid through the end of the yearA college student — and daughter of an Episcopal priest — was detained after a standard visa hearing in New York City. Days later, she was reunited with her mom after she was brought back to Manhattan from a Louisiana detention center. 'Everything just feels surreal,' Yeonsoo Go, 20, said after she was allowed to leave Federal Plaza Immigration Court with her mother, Rev. Kyrie Kim, on the evening of Monday, Aug. 4, CW affiliate WPIX reported. 'I always had faith that I would be out soon,' she added, according to CNN affiliate WCBS. Before her arrest, the Purdue University student — who moved to the United States from South Korea with her mom back in 2021 — told a friend she was nervous because of the wave of detainments under the Trump administration, the outlet reported. Then, on Thursday, July 31, Go's fears became reality. Mary Davis, an attorney for the Episcopal Diocese in New York, where Go's mother is a priest, told CNN that the hearing was part of the process to convert her religious worker's dependent visa, known as a R-2 visa, to a student visa. In a separate interview with NBC News, Marissa Joseph, identified as Go's attorney, said the student was renewing her visa because her mother had changed employers. On July 31, Go was told she was due back in court in October, but when she and her mother exited the courthouse, ICE agents were waiting for the young woman, ABC affiliate WABC, FOX affiliate WNYW and CNN reported. 'They thought they had come for a routine hearing, for due process, and they really fell into a black hole of unknown,' Davis told CNN affiliate WCBS, adding that Go was 'absolutely terrified.' Neither attorney immediately responded to PEOPLE's request for comment. In a statement obtained by PEOPLE before her release, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin claimed that Go had "overstayed her visa that expired more than two years ago." However, lawyers for the Episcopal Diocese of New York have denied this, saying that her visa wasn't set to expire until December. 'We have no idea why they are alleging this, because we have a piece of paper that says she has a visa till December 2025,' Davis told NBC News. 'This is what lack of due process does. We have evidence on our side. They're making allegations. We are not being given the opportunity to sort it out.' DHS and ICE did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's questions about Go's release. Go's case is one of a number making headlines since President Trump returned to the White House and began cracking down on immigration. While Trump's successful campaign was centered on a law enforcement message to 'seal' the southern border and remove millions of migrants in the country illegally — with a focus on dangerous people and people with criminal backgrounds — some of the deportations have stirred debate. The local religious community was 'heartbroken' by Go's detainment, Rev. Anne Marie Witchger, a priest of St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery and a colleague of Rev. Kim, tells PEOPLE. 'Soo came to this country legally and is lawfully here,' says Rev. Witchger, adding that both Go, who is gearing up her second year at Purdue University, and her mom are 'important members of the community.' Following the 20-year-old student's arrest, the religious community rallied around her, and a GoFundMe has been created to help with legal fees. "We call for the end of weaponization in our courts," Rt. Rev. Matthew Heyd, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, said while advocating for her release over the weekend, according to WNYW. "We stand up for a New York and a country that respects the dignity of every person." Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Following Go's release, New York Assemblymember Amy Paulin released a statement of support. 'The pain, fear, and uncertainty she and her family endured over the past five days should never have happened,' Paulin wrote. 'But tonight we celebrate her freedom and the strength of a community that refused to stay silent.' Lawyers told WABC that the student's case is ongoing and they are cooperating with government officials. As Davis told CNN, 'We've worked very hard for our voices to be heard and to lift her up, and to convey the message that Soo does not deserve to be in detention and…it's been heard.' Read the original article on People
Washington Post
5 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Purdue University student freed from ICE detention after outcry from faith leaders
A Purdue University student from South Korea has been freed from federal detention, tearfully reuniting with her family and religious community in Manhattan following days of outcry from faith leaders in New York and abroad. Yeonsoo Go, 20, was taken into custody on Thursday during a routine immigration hearing in Manhattan, according to her attorneys and family. She was then transferred to a federal detention facility in Monroe, Louisiana, where she was held for three nights before being released without bail on Monday.
The Independent
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Purdue University student freed from ICE detention after outcry from faith leaders
A Purdue University student from South Korea has been freed from federal detention, tearfully reuniting with her family and religious community in Manhattan following days of outcry from faith leaders in New York and abroad. Yeonsoo Go, 20, was taken into custody on Thursday during a routine immigration hearing in Manhattan, according to her attorneys and family. She was then transferred to a federal detention facility in Monroe, Louisiana, where she was held for three nights before being released without bail on Monday. Mary Rothwell Davis, an attorney for the Episcopal Diocese of New York, where Go's mother works as a priest, said the family had not received an explanation for the arrest or abrupt reversal. 'We don't know why it happened, but we're very happy that it did,' Davis said. 'We were moving heaven and earth to make it known that we thought this was a mistake.' A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said Go had been placed in expedited removal proceedings for overstaying an expired visa. The agency did not respond to questions about what prompted Go's release. 'The fact of the matter is those who are in our country illegally have a choice — they can leave the country voluntarily or be arrested and deported," agency spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. But Davis disputed the contention that Go was here illegally. She said Go has maintained a valid visa since arriving in the U.S. in 2021, along with her mother, Rev. Kyrie Kim, who leads a Korean congregation in the New York area. A graduate of Scarsdale High School in the suburbs of New York City, Go studies at Purdue's College of Pharmacy and remains active in the Episcopalian church, according to Davis. In recent days, clergy members, including Bishop Matthew Heyd, as well as the church leaders in Korea, have called on the Trump administration to release Go, insisting that her arrest was a mistake. 'Whether it was our outcry or some other factor that persuaded DHS to send her home, we don't know, but we're so grateful,' Davis said, adding that Go's experience in detention was 'unbelievably traumatic.' New York State Assemblymember Amy Paulin, a Democrat, said she had spoken by phone with Go, who she described as 'relieved' to be home. 'She is home, she is safe, and she is so grateful for the outpouring of love and support from this incredible community,' Paulin said.
Associated Press
5 days ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Purdue University student freed from ICE detention after outcry from faith leaders
A Purdue University student from South Korea has been freed from federal detention, tearfully reuniting with her family and religious community in Manhattan following days of outcry from faith leaders in New York and abroad. Yeonsoo Go, 20, was taken into custody on Thursday during a routine immigration hearing in Manhattan, according to her attorneys and family. She was then transferred to a federal detention facility in Monroe, Louisiana, where she was held for three nights before being released without bail on Monday. Mary Rothwell Davis, an attorney for the Episcopal Diocese of New York, where Go's mother works as a priest, said the family had not received an explanation for the arrest or abrupt reversal. 'We don't know why it happened, but we're very happy that it did,' Davis said. 'We were moving heaven and earth to make it known that we thought this was a mistake.' A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said Go had been placed in expedited removal proceedings for overstaying an expired visa. The agency did not respond to questions about what prompted Go's release. 'The fact of the matter is those who are in our country illegally have a choice — they can leave the country voluntarily or be arrested and deported,' agency spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. But Davis disputed the contention that Go was here illegally. She said Go has maintained a valid visa since arriving in the U.S. in 2021, along with her mother, Rev. Kyrie Kim, who leads a Korean congregation in the New York area. A graduate of Scarsdale High School in the suburbs of New York City, Go studies at Purdue's College of Pharmacy and remains active in the Episcopalian church, according to Davis. In recent days, clergy members, including Bishop Matthew Heyd, as well as the church leaders in Korea, have called on the Trump administration to release Go, insisting that her arrest was a mistake. 'Whether it was our outcry or some other factor that persuaded DHS to send her home, we don't know, but we're so grateful,' Davis said, adding that Go's experience in detention was 'unbelievably traumatic.' New York State Assemblymember Amy Paulin, a Democrat, said she had spoken by phone with Go, who she described as 'relieved' to be home. 'She is home, she is safe, and she is so grateful for the outpouring of love and support from this incredible community,' Paulin said.
