Rafael Andres Rubio Bohorquez, a New York City Council employee, was released from the Delaney Hall ICE jail in Newark, New Jersey, in June after more than five months of detention. Rubio Bohorquez, a Venezuelan national, was taken into custody by federal immigration officers in January during a routine asylum interview, according to reports on his detention.
The detention of the city employee occurred despite his holding Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a designation that typically shields eligible nationals from deportation. Rubio Bohorquez spent several months in federal custody, including time at the Newark facility, before securing his release.
How was the New York City Council employee detained?
Federal immigration officers detained Rafael Andres Rubio Bohorquez in January during what was described as a routine asylum interview. Despite his employment with the New York City Council and his Temporary Protected Status, he was processed into the immigration detention system.
Rubio Bohorquez was eventually held at the Delaney Hall facility in Newark, New Jersey. This facility is operated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and is used to house detainees awaiting immigration court hearings or deportation proceedings.
The detention lasted more than five months, ending with his release in June. His attorney, Gwyneth Hesser, has since stated that any further detention of Rubio Bohorquez would be in violation of a court order.
What is Temporary Protected Status (TPS)?
Attorney Gwyneth Hesser noted that despite the legal protections, "sometimes things are happening that are outside of the law."
The impact of detention at Delaney Hall
Reflecting on the other immigrants he met while held in multiple facilities, Rubio Bohorquez stated, “People are sad; detainees are sad. It’s people that try to build a future in this country, people that have complied with the law.”
He further noted that many of those detained had integrated into American society, stating that they had “paid their taxes” and were “raising families.”
Rubio Bohorquez has expressed a lingering fear of being detained again, despite the existence of a court order intended to prevent such an occurrence.
What happens next for Rafael Rubio Bohorquez?
While currently released, Rubio Bohorquez remains under the legal guidance of Gwyneth Hesser to ensure the court order protecting him from further detention is upheld.