Lawsuit Reunites Schuyler Family Separated by ICE

LINCOLN, Neb. — A Schuyler mother is now back with her sons after weeks in the custody of immigration authorities.

Last week, an Omaha Immigration Court judge granted Lorena Alarcon-Alarcon release on bond during a hearing that a federal court had ordered. That order came from a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Nebraska on her behalf last month.

Alarcon-Alarcon is one of many immigrants nationally who has been impacted by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policy change that asserts most detained immigrants, including longtime residents, are subject to mandatory detention and ineligible for release on bond. Her lawsuit argued that the policy violates federal law, and a district court judge in Nebraska agreed.

A citizen of Mexico, Alarcon-Alarcon has been in the United States for roughly 25 years. Most of that time has been in Schuyler. She has three sons, two of whom are grown and one still a teenager. She also has a pending request for relief from removal. Her release on bond means she will be able to take care of her family while she works through immigration proceedings.

Her oldest son, Luis Gonzalez, said:

“Our family is incredibly grateful that our mom is finally home with us. The past few weeks have been very difficult, and having her back means everything to our family. We want to sincerely thank our attorneys, Raul and Olga, for their dedication and support throughout this process. We are also deeply thankful to the ACLU team, especially Sam and Jamel, for stepping in to help our family during such a stressful time. We are also grateful to Prairielands Freedom Fund and to the friends and members of our community who stood by us and supported our family. While we are relieved and thankful that our mom is home, we know there are many other families still going through similar situations. We hope that more families receive the same kind of support and compassion that helped bring our mom back home to us.”

ACLU of Nebraska Staff Attorney Jamel J.W. Connor said:

“I am absolutely thrilled that Lorena is back with her boys, which is where she belongs. This is what every person taken into immigration custody deserves: a deliberative, individual custody assessment. In this case, that made all the difference for Lorena and her family. That is what we mean when we talk about the importance of due process. As ICE continues to deny people bond hearings to people in custody, we will continue doing what we can to help.”

Alarcon-Alarcon's release follows a similar turn of events for another ACLU of Nebraska client. In February, an immigration judge granted a motion to dismiss removal proceedings against a client with protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.