The City of New York has formally joined the legal fight to free a Bronx high school student held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, filing a brief in support of his petition for release.

Joel Camas, a 16-year-old junior at Gotham Collaborative High School, who hoped to become a certified mechanic, was taken into custody during a routine ICE check-in in October despite having an approved Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) and a pathway toward a green card, according to court filings.

The student, who is originally from Ecuador, arrived in New York with his mother in late 2022 and has been living with family members. He began the Family Court process in May 2024 after his father abandoned him, per court filings. In December 2024, a Bronx County Family Court judge

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