ATLANTA—Alumni of historically Black colleges and universities in Atlanta have been rallying behind Alex Maganda, a Morehouse College graduate who was detained by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) outside Dallas, Texas.
Mr. Maganda graduated from Morehouse in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing and had been living in Dallas. Fellow Dallas resident JaMarcus Toomer a 2017 Morehouse graduate, posted about Mr. Maganda’s detention and asked supporters for help on July 9.
“I am reaching out with an urgent plea for assistance regarding our brother, friend, and classmate, Alex Maganda, a member of the Class of 2018, who has recently been detained by ICE. This situation has arisen amidst the ongoing protests surrounding immigration policies and the current administration’s stance on deportation,” he posted.
He noted that Mr. Maganda is widely known amongst Morehouse, Spelman College and Clark Atlanta University peers and alumni. He described him as a “kind-hearted individual, a dedicated worker, and someone who has always been there for his friends and family.”
“His life and well-being are in jeopardy, and his absence is deeply felt. We must rally together to support him during this difficult time,” Mr. Toomer posted. “It is crucial to understand the serious implications that come with ICE detentions.
Individuals in these situations may face deportation and separation from their families and communities, often with little notice or recourse. As Morehouse Men, we live by the code ‘I got my brother’s back,’ and now is the time to embody that spirit of solidarity and support.”
His message reached other alumni on social media and garnered support for Mr. Maganda. An Instagram page for 2018 graduates of Morehouse and Spelman posted an update on July 11.
Mr. Maganda had been in touch with close friends and family and was in good spirits, the page shared. He had also obtained legal counsel.
ICE agents detained Mr. Maganda after a traffic violation. He is being held at Bluebonnet Detention Facility in Anson, Texas, about 200 miles from Dallas.
Now 30, he came to the U.S. from Mexico at age 5 in 2000, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported, based on words by Mr. Maganda’s attorney, Carrie Nguyen, and girlfriend Maszoliin Spencer.
Mr. Maganda was a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), the AJC reported. His status had recently expired, and he didn’t get it renewed, Ms. Spencer told the AJC.
“He graduated high school, had a very accomplished football career, went to Morehouse, has a good job, he pays his taxes, he has a U.S. citizen girlfriend,” Ms. Nguyen said to the AJC. “Did he make a mistake? Absolutely. But who hasn’t? He’s not a danger to the community and he’s not a flight risk because there are ways for him to obtain his residency down the road.”
Concerns about ICE have been growing in Black communities across the country, as racism and discrimination seep into immigration detentions and deportations.
About 76% of Black immigrants are deported because of contact with the police, according to an analysis by the Black Alliance for Just Immigration presented in 2022.
Black immigrants make up only 5.4% of the undocumented population in the U.S., but make up 20.3% of immigrants facing removal based on criminal convictions, the organization shared.
Capital B published an interview with Nana Gyamfi, executive director of the Black Alliance for Just Immigration, in June.
“What we know from the data, as well as anecdotal experiences, is that most law enforcement interactions with Black immigrants begin as racial profiling that then goes down another road when the officer hears an accent or realizes there is a language barrier.
As a result, Black migrants are detained, deported and held in solitary confinement at a disproportionately higher rate,” she said to the news outlet.
The Final Call reached out to those working to “bring Alex home” and received the following response via email:
“Thank you for your overwhelming support and concern for our Morehouse brother, Alex Maganda. We truly appreciate your interest in sharing his story during this challenging time.
We want to assure you that we will keep you updated as we receive more information regarding Alex’s case. … Your engagement and commitment to raising awareness are invaluable in our efforts to bring Alex home. Thank you once again for your support and dedication to this important cause.”
A hearing for Mr. Maganda is expected to take place by the end of July.