A Detroit high school student who was just three and a half credits away from graduating has been deported to Colombia, sparking outrage among immigration advocates, educators, and classmates.
Maykol Boggy-Duarte, a junior at Western International High School, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on May 20 after being stopped for driving without a license during a school field trip. Though he was close to completing his diploma, Maykol was removed under an existing deportation order.
Despite urgent pleas from his school district, teachers, and classmates requesting a temporary stay to allow him to graduate, federal authorities proceeded with his deportation.
The Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, which had been advocating for his release, condemned the decision, calling it an example of the “cruelty” of the current immigration enforcement system.
Maykol is now back in Colombia, separated from his community, friends, and school at a critical point in his academic life.
The case has reignited concerns about how immigration policies affect young immigrants, especially those embedded in U.S. school systems and on the brink of educational milestones. Advocacy groups are now calling for more compassionate reforms to protect undocumented students from abrupt and life-altering enforcement actions.
