#DroptheIceHold Campaigns

Vicente Marcial Noyola

Vicente was detained with an ICE hold for two months at Wake County jail for allegedly driving with a suspended license. His charges were dropped but the damage was already done. Jeffrey, Vicente’s oldest son, had to care for his six US citizen brothers and sisters while their father was behind bars. Vicente’s youngest child, only 5 years old, witnessed everything and suffered from post traumatic stress disorder.

Alerta and family members organized a rally outside of the Wake County jail and generated hundreds of phone calls to ICE calling for Vicente’s release. Finally, on May 21, 2017, Vicente’s ICE hold was removed and he was released.

“The support that Alerta gave us made us feel that we weren’t alone and knowing there were other people out there supporting us … Thanks to their help and support, my dad was able to get home and we’re happy now.” — Alisia Marcial, 17

Neydit Vay Alvarez

Neydit called the police for help with a domestic dispute with her husband. Instead of getting the help a victim requires, she was arrested and held on an ICE detainer. Despite no conviction, Neydit remained locked up for nearly a month at Wake County Detention Center.

Mary E. Phillips High School Principal Daniel Colvin described Neydit as one of “our school’s most supportive parents”.

On Friday, August, 18, 2017, a day after her charges were dismissed and after hundreds of calls asking for her release, ICE lifted the hold and Neydit was freed. The person in charge of making this decision is not a judge, but the 287g program manager, Mr. Frank Repinski, at the Wake County Detention Center / Cary ICE Processing Center.

Neydit was given a date to check-in at the Charlotte ICE office in September. At some point, she will also be receiving a Notice to Appear before the immigration judge. At this time she will have to make her case to stay in the United States. It could take some time for her to receive this Notice to Appear. In the meantime, she has to make sure she complies and checks in with ICE anytime she is asked to or else she will be detained again.

Release from Immigration Detention Center

Wildin Acosta and the #NC6

Wildin’s release was thanks entirely to the community who stood behind him each step of the way. Community is the reason that Wildin was not deported, despite multiple attempts to do so, including various times when Wildin was escorted in chains to a plane to be deported. Not only did his classmates and teachers at Riverside High School organize to fight for Wildin’s release, but they also organized the entire city of Durham to fight for this youth’s freedom. City leaders, teachers, students, and other friends and supporters came together and pushed. Every time that Wildin might have been deported, he was not.

Important note: Congressman Butterfield eventually became a very public advocate for Wildin, but the congressman was not initially willing to intervene. The only reason he did intervene was because there was accountability from his constituents, the good people of the city of Durham.

Along with Wildin, other Central American refugee teens targeted by the raids on unaccompanied minors in January 2016 were also released, including Jefry from Charlotte, Josue from Thomasville, and Bilmer of Greenville. Pedro of Charlotte and Santos of Raleigh were deported.