I dislike the “view article directly” so here’s a lazy copy and paste:

Alabama teen locked up in ICE detention center for 218 days after speeding in car

Elder Chavez-Carranza was applying for a green card when he was arrested for allegedly speeding — now he’s been detained by ICE for over 200 days

15:55 ET, 06 Aug 2026Updated 17:11 ET, 06 Aug 2026

An 18-year-old student applying for a green card will likely face deportation after spending over 200 days in detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Elder Chavez-Carranza lived with his sister in Albertville, Alabama, about 165 miles north of Montgomery, when he was detained by federal authorities after being arrested in late December for allegedly speeding and driving without a license. Despite having special immigrant juvenile status, which allows unaccompanied minors to apply for lawful permanent residency due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment, Chavez-Carranza spent more than 218 days in detention.

Now, family members and advocates say the teen’s future is still uncertain. “My brother is not a criminal,” Mayuri Chavez told Newsweek in an interview translated from Spanish. “He followed every rule, went to every court, did everything the government asked — and none of it mattered. They ignored his permission and took him anyway.”

Chavez, 26, said her brother has been deteriorating mentally and physically throughout his detention, often hiding the worst details so she won’t worry. However, he has shared experiences of going days without adequate amounts of food or being denied necessary dental care.

“He feels betrayed,” said Chavez, referencing her brother’s SIJ status. “All the effort we made to do things right was useless. We’re just fighting to get him out so he could finish his studies and be someone in life.”

Chavez-Carranza was stopped by an Alabama state trooper on Dec. 30 in Albertville, where he received citations for speeding and not having a driver’s license. The trooper also contacted ICE, who verified that Chavez-Carranza have been in the U.S. illegally, resulting in his detainment, said police told Newsweek.

Chavez-Carranza’s attorney, Dalaney Mecham, said immigration officials began removal proceedings after the traffic stop. A judge later found him eligible for deportation, an order the teen is currently appealing.

A briefing on the proceeding has yet to be scheduled, said Mecham. Congress created the SIJ classification to protect young migrants who are abused, abandoned, or neglected by one or both parents as long as they have a legal custodian in the U.S. and a family court judge rules that local residency represents the best interest of the child, according to Mecham.

“Unfortunately, it’s not an actual status,” Mecham said, adding that the classification solely permits applicants to apply for a green card. Congress established the classification in the Immigration Act of 1990 and set a cap on the number of green cards available through the program.

However, as the number of petitions grew, an immense backlog of cases has accrued, said Mecham. In March, Chavez-Carranza applied for deferred action, which could protect him from deportation if granted.

“The problem with that is they have required him to do fingerprints, allegedly, for a background check before they can approve the deferred action,” said Mecham.

“They keep giving him notices to appear for his fingerprints in Birmingham, but he’s detained. So, he’s missed his last three appointments for fingerprints.”

Mecham accused the government of “pulling the rug out” from under his client as he seeks lawful permanent U.S. residency.

“Who benefits from this?” Mecham asked. “Where is the benefit to society, to anyone? The government, you know, provided a legal pathway, so what are we accomplishing? Why are we doing this? He’s a high school student.”

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Chavez-Carranza’s detention this week. “On December 30, 2025, ICE arrested Elder Nain Chavez-Carranza, an illegal alien from Honduras,” a DHS spokesperson told Newsweek. “He illegally entered the United States via the southern border on February 2, 2022, under the Biden administration. Chavez-Carranza will remain in ICE custody pending his immigration proceedings. He will receive full due process.”

DHS added that SIJ classification does not confer lawful status.

“Being in detention is a choice,” the agency said. “We encourage all illegal aliens to take control of their departure with the CBP Home App. The United States is offering illegal aliens $2,600 and a free flight to self-deport now. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return.”