California education officials and immigration advocates are urging the U.S. federal government to return a six-year-old deaf student who was deported to Colombia alongside his mother and younger brother after being detained during a routine immigration check-in in San Francisco. The case has drawn attention from educators, lawyers, and community leaders who say the child’s disability and educational needs should have been considered before the deportation.
According to immigration attorneys and state officials, the boy and his family were detained while attending a scheduled appointment under an immigration monitoring program and later deported. Critics argue the deportation occurred despite ongoing legal proceedings and the child’s reliance on specialized services available through his school in California.
Detention During Routine Immigration Check-In
Lesly Rodriguez Gutierrez and her two sons were detained Tuesday when they reported to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in San Francisco as part of the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP), a monitoring system requiring regular check-ins from certain migrants awaiting immigration decisions.
Advocates from the Alameda County Immigration Legal and Education Partnership (ACILEP) said the family had complied with program requirements, which included monthly in-person visits and weekly digital check-ins through a smartphone application. The arrest occurred during one such scheduled appointment.
A relative who had accompanied the family to the building reportedly waited outside during the meeting but was unable to pass essential assistive equipment to the six-year-old boy after the detention occurred. The child, who is deaf and uses a cochlear implant, relies on assistive devices to communicate and access sound.
Concerns Over Lack of Assistive Devices
Immigration advocates say the boy was deported without the assistive devices necessary for him to communicate effectively. The child communicates primarily through American Sign Language (ASL) and had been receiving specialized educational support in California.
Nikolas De Bremaeker, managing attorney for ACILEP, said the situation raises serious humanitarian concerns regardless of the immigration case itself. According to him, the absence of assistive technology could significantly affect the child’s ability to interact with his surroundings and continue his developmental progress.
Advocates also argued that the child’s unique medical and educational needs should have triggered additional safeguards before any deportation action was carried out. They maintain that humanitarian considerations should have played a larger role in the handling of the case.
California Education Leaders Call for Intervention
California’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond, has publicly called on federal authorities to facilitate the child’s return to the United States so he can continue receiving specialized educational services.
In a statement, Thurmond described the situation as deeply troubling, particularly because it involved a young child with a disability who had already established a learning environment and support network in California. He argued that removing the child from his school community disrupts his development and access to critical resources.
During a press conference, Thurmond also urged federal officials to intervene at the highest level. He called on Department of Homeland Security leadership to contact President Donald Trump, who is currently serving his second term as U.S. president, and request that the student be allowed to return.
Confusion Over Family’s Detention and Transfer
Immigration attorneys representing the family say they encountered significant difficulties locating the mother and her children after the arrest, complicating efforts to challenge the deportation legally.
According to De Bremaeker, officials initially told family members that the group would be transferred to a detention center in Louisiana. Later, attorneys were informed that the family would be moved to Phoenix, Arizona, before potentially being transferred to Washington state.
Lawyers argue that the shifting information made it difficult to determine the appropriate jurisdiction in which to file emergency legal petitions. The family was ultimately held briefly in a Phoenix detention center before being deported to Colombia.
Background of the Family’s Asylum Case
Gutierrez and her children arrived in the United States in 2022 and filed an asylum application the following year. An immigration judge initially rejected the application and ordered removal, but the family filed an appeal.
While the appeal process was ongoing, Gutierrez was placed under supervision through the ISAP monitoring program. Immigration advocates say the family had complied with the program’s requirements and maintained regular contact with authorities.
Attorneys say the appeal and humanitarian considerations, particularly regarding the child’s disability, should have been taken into account before deportation proceedings were executed.
Educators Warn of Developmental Impact
Teachers and specialists from the child’s school in California have expressed concern that the deportation could severely affect his ability to continue learning and communicating.
Education professionals noted that the boy had begun developing language skills through American Sign Language and specialized classroom instruction during his time in California. Such resources, they argue, may not be easily accessible in the same form in Colombia.
A teacher specialist involved with the child’s education emphasized that detention and deportation can be traumatic for anyone, but the situation is especially complex for a young deaf child whose understanding of the world relies heavily on structured communication support.
