DSG denounces the deportation of Samuel Oliver-Bruno

Duke Student Government Equity and Outreach and Durham and Regional Affairs condemns Samuel Oliver-Bruno’s deportation. His arrest came during his visit to the Cary U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) facility for a biometrics appointment, necessary to further his path to legal residence. There, plain-clothed ICE agents arrested him the instant he walked in the building and those protesting his arrest were detained as well. This use of covert tactics is absolutely horrendous, considering that Samuel and his community were following the legal procedure to renew a work permit. Samuel is a vital part of the Durham community as he is a husband to his wife, a father to his son, a friend to many and a minister for CityWell Methodist Church. His deportation is devastating for not only his family, but the Durham community as well. His wife is currently receiving medical treatment that is not available in Mexico and his son is planning to attend college. Without Samuel’s income in the house, Samuel’s son might be forced to put away his dream of college in order to pay for his mother’s treatment. As members of the Durham community, we wholeheartedly denounce the manner in which Samuel was detained and the expedited way in which he was thrown into removal proceedings, despite the fact that U.S. representatives G.K. Butterfield and and David Price called for an investigation into his case. Echoing the words of the CityWell church where Samuel was living in sanctuary, we are appalled by the collusion between USCIS and ICE to use a legitimate immigration process as bait for ambush, and believe this undermines credibility of United States agencies and government processes. We, the Duke Student Government Equity and Outreach Committee and Durham and Regional Affairs Committee, stand with Samuel Oliver-Bruno and his family.

This letter is co-signed by the members of the DSG committee for equity and outreach and the DSG committee for Durham and regional affairs. The committee for equity and outreach is led by junior Daisy Almonte and composed of Trinity senior Adam Bullock, Trinity sophomores Maya King and De'Ja Wood, and Trinity first-years Shirley Mathur, Nehal Jail, Christina Wang and Victoria Pinedo. The committee for Durham and regional affairs is led by Trinity junior Uwa Ihionkhan and is composed of Trinity junior Quinci King, Trinity sophomores Alyson Diaz, Jake Sheridan, John Honeycutt, Samia Noor, Turner Jordan and Valeria Silombria, Trinity first-years Ava Changnon, Kyle Melatti, Luke Evans, Sophie Daldorf, and Allison Bunker, and Pratt first-year Gabrielle Marushack. Sheridan is a staff writer for The Chronicle.