Federal immigration authorities have taken into custody a 7-year-old New York City public school student, making her the youngest-known local student detained under the second Trump administration.
Dayra, an Ecuadorian student at P.S. 89 The Jose Peralta School of Dreamers in Queens, and her mother were separated from her 19-year-old brother during an immigration check-in on Tuesday at 26 Federal Plaza, according to the family and advocates. Her last name is being withheld because she is a minor.
“We were all very scared,” said Patricio, Dayra’s mother’s boyfriend who lives with the family, in Spanish. “Because we knew they were going to arrest them.”
Dayra and her mother, Martha, were transferred to a detention center in Texas, advocates said. According to the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement locator, Martha was listed Friday afternoon at South Texas Family Residential Center, one of the country’s largest immigration facilities. The center was reopened this year after the Biden administration had closed it. (The locator does not provide information for detainees under 18.)
“She called me yesterday and said she was fine. But she is very afraid of returning to Ecuador,” Patricio said of Martha, who fled domestic violence in her home country. Court records show an immigration judge had previously denied her asylum request and ordered the family deported, though they continued attending required check-ins.
Dayra’s brother, Manuel, 19, was initially held at 26 Federal Plaza before being moved to a detention center in Newark, New Jersey, according to the locator. Patricio said Manuel recently graduated from high school on Long Island and was planning to start college this year.
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
“We are hearing extremely concerning reports about an immigrant family, including a 7-year-old local public school student and her 19-year-old brother, detained by ICE,” said Councilman Shekar Krishnan (D-Queens) in a statement. “My office is working actively to obtain all the details. We are in contact with the local school, DOE officials, and federal offices to learn more and fight to make sure the family can be reunited. Family separation is horrific, and ICE must stop these cruel tactics.”
In the Elmhurst neighborhood of Queens, P.S. 89 runs a Spanish dual-language program and is planning to start a similar program in Bengali, according to school data and social media posts. More than half of its students are learning English as a new language.
“The abuses of the federal government and neglect from City Hall have created an environment of fear for families in New York,” said Naveed Hasan, an advocate for immigrant students. “7-year-old Dayra is among the youngest children taken by ICE, and if she is not immediately released, our own government will illegally deny her the right to learn and grow within her supportive PS 89Q community.”
Dayra and Manuel are part of a broader pattern of New York students affected by President Trump’s deportation policies. Other students, like Dylan and Mouctar, who attend alternative high schools for students behind on credits, were recently targeted. On Thursday, local lawmakers and advocates rallied for their release ahead of the school year, which begins on Sept. 4.
The Patchogue-Medford School District did not respond to requests for comment Friday. Nicole Brownstein, press secretary for the city’s public schools, said the agency has helped families access legal support and other resources with their permission.
“New York City Public Schools stands with all of our students, and we are committed to supporting every child and family in our system,” she said.
