College Student Go Yeonsu Arrested During Court Appearance
Anglican Church and Korean Community Protest: "Clear Violation of Human Rights"
A Korean university student residing in the United States has been confirmed to be detained after being arrested on the spot by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while appearing in court over a visa issue.
The detained student, Go Yeonsu (20), is the daughter of Reverend Kim Giri, a priest of the Anglican Diocese of Seoul. She entered the U.S. in March 2021 on an R-2 visa, which is a dependent family visa accompanying a religious worker’s visa.
After graduating from a high school in New York, Go is currently enrolled at Purdue University. Her family and the Anglican Church explained that she had received approval to extend her stay last year, making her legally eligible to remain in the U.S. until the end of 2025.
However, ICE determined that Go’s status had expired and arrested her on July 31, immediately after a hearing at the New York immigration court. She is currently being held temporarily at the Manhattan ICE office and is expected to be transferred soon to another immigration detention facility.
The Anglican Diocese of New York and the New York Immigration Coalition held a press conference on the 2nd (local time) in front of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) federal building in Manhattan, New York, urging the release of Yeon Gyeonsu. Yonhap News
Go’s mother, Reverend Kim, said, “I applied for a visit, but it was denied, and I have not been informed when or where she will be transferred. In short, this is an unbelievable situation.” She added, “I have been active in the New Sanctuary Coalition, but I never imagined my own family would become a target of enforcement.”
In response, the Anglican Diocese of New York and the New York Immigration Coalition held a press conference in front of the ICE office on August 2, demanding Go’s immediate release. Matthew Heyd, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of New York, criticized, “Confusing and cruel immigration policies continue.” Reverend Marisa Sifontes also pointed out, “There are repeated incidents of people being arrested without due process.”
The Korean American community is also protesting. Lee Myungseok, president of the Korean American Association of New York, stated, “This incident is a clear violation of human rights,” and announced plans to submit an official letter requesting Go’s release and to coordinate with other Korean organizations in response.
This incident occurred as ICE has recently intensified its practice of arresting immigrants at court appearances without warrants. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, calling this a “violation of due process.”
Last month, Kim Taeheung, a doctoral student at Texas A&M University, was detained after being arrested at the airport while returning from a visit to Korea.
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