Supporters rally for Durham student facing deportation

Saturday, February 20, 2016
Rally for student
A Durham student faces deportation.

DURHAM (WTVD) -- Teachers and immigrant and refugee advocates rallied around a Riverside High School student who will be deported back to Honduras.

Wildin Guillen-Acosta was detained by ICE agents in January.

His teachers say he is getting behind in his school work. So they are coming together to help him get caught up, shipping past-due assignments to a facility in Georgia where he is being detained.

RELATED: Durham students avoid school over deportation fears

His teacher Ellen Holmes says the high school senior is behind in his schoolwork after agents took him into custody last month.

She fears he will get behind and won't graduate in May -- if he successfully wins his battle to stay in Durham.

"There is nothing that will hold me back from giving a kid his class work and finish their education and graduate," Holmes said.

Guillen-Acosta is detained in a jail in Georgia, and could be deported to Honduras at any moment.

Viridiana Martinez of Immigration Alert says teachers and members of the community also shipped sympathy cards and letters.

RELATED: Deportation vigil held for 4 Durham teens

A small gesture to keep him encouraged. "We understand how it may be for you inside but we are rallying for you and we have your back."

Immigration Customs Enforcement maintains that it is carrying out the orders it received to detain Guillen-Acosta.

Supporters are appealing his deportation.

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