ICE Detains Colombian ‘Outstanding Student’ from Berkeley
The arrest of Paula Valentina Albornoz Hernandez, a 23-year-old Colombian student at the University of California, Berkeley, by agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has sparked concern across the university community and controversy over the actions of immigration authorities. The young woman was arrested on October 30 at San Francisco International Airport while […]
Colombian student Paula Valentina Albornoz Hernandez, a 23-year-old Berkeley University standout, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on October 30 at San Francisco International Airport. The young woman was waiting to board a flight to Portland, Oregon, to spend time with her partner, Anthony. Berkeley President Nicholas Dirks described Albornoz as "one of our most outstanding students" and called for her release.
Her attorneys filed a legal challenge questioning the legality of her detention and seeking her release. Albornoz, who arrived in the U.S. from Colombia in September 2022, has been studying Business Administration at Berkeley and is conducting research on artificial intelligence. She had applied for asylum due to gender-based violence she faced in Colombia.
Her visa had expired, and she remained in the U.S. after the expiry date. ICE confirmed her arrest, stating she overstayed her visa. DHS indicated she would receive due process and remain in custody while deportation proceedings progress.
Written by urgent.news from Colombia One's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
