BREAKING: Ernesto Manuel-Andres released on bond

Published 8:31 pm Tuesday, June 24, 2025

By David Horowitz

Picture of then-Teranga Academy student Ernesto Manuel-Andres sits on a swing at Chaney's Dairy Barn during a field trip last summer. (SUBMITTED)
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Then-Teranga Academy student Ernesto Manuel-Andres sits on a swing at Chaney's Dairy Barn during a field trip last summer. (SUBMITTED)
Picture of then-Teranga Academy student Ernesto Manuel-Andres sits on a swing at Chaney's Dairy Barn during a field trip last summer. (SUBMITTED)

DAVID MAMARIL HOROWITZ

david.horowitz@bgdailynews.com

​​Ernesto Manuel-Andres has been released on the condition he’ll attend court hearings.

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The Bowling Green teenager — who was detained by immigration agents June 4 despite legal authorization to stay in the U.S., according to his attorneys — will return to Bowling Green on Wednesday on $1,500 bond.

He’s entitled to remain undetained so long as he continues attending his hearings, according to Fugees Family, the main nonprofit that’s been supporting him.

As of Tuesday evening, Manuel-Andres was released with a friend of Luma Mufleh, the founder and CEO of Fugees Family, Mufleh said.

A federal immigration judge had set bond Monday at $1,500, the lowest amount legally allowed, Mufleh said. But in a reversal, the Department of Homeland Security had blocked Manuel-Andres’ release by reserving its right to appeal — which would give DHS up to 30 days to decide whether to appeal, during which Manuel-Andres would remain locked up.

However, to reserve the right to appeal, DHS was required to meet three deadlines — one within a business day, and the needed paperwork was not submitted by that deadline, Mufleh said. In the event that would happen, Manuel-Andres’ attorneys and Mufleh were racing to file bond paperwork.

Unexpectedly, DHS ended up facilitating Manuel-Andres’ release, as well — as a person with DHS alerted Mufleh that an upload for the bond hadn’t gone through and then stayed after hours on the line with Mufleh as she uploaded it, Mufleh said.

“I just think they were very helpful, and they facilitated the process and made what would typically be stressful a lot less stressful and manageable,” Mufleh said.

The bond paperwork was filed in time, acquiring Manuel-Andres his release, Mufleh said.

The initial plan was to pick him up at 9 a.m. Wednesday, but DHS followed up to say he can be released Tuesday night — as he was by Mufleh’s friend, Mufleh said.

“It’s just been a rollercoaster,” Mufleh said. “I just think a lot of people have felt dejected. I think this whole thing has given me hope in the power of community, of people rallying around a kid — a lot of them that they don’t know — across political lines.”

They’ll spend the night at the friend’s house and then drive to Bowling Green first thing in the morning, Mufleh said.

They’ll give details for welcoming him back home at that time, she said.

“A lot of people worked behind the scenes to support this, and it’s beautiful,” Mufleh said. “It’s been a long three and a half weeks, and I think today, we can all sleep a little better.”

The release follows several local protests where hundreds advocated for Manuel-Andres as well as several vigils. At least two Bowling Green commissioners, Dana Beasley-Brown and Carlos Bailey, issued statements in support of him. A GoFundMe to support Manuel-Andres has surpassed $30,000.

ICE’s charge alleges that Manuel-Andres unlawfully entered the U.S. without admission or parole — but doesn’t mention any of his legal paperwork, his law firm Minsky, McCormick and Hallagan, PC has said.

Manuel-Andres obtained legal authorization to be in the U.S. and protection from deportation after entering the U.S. as an unaccompanied minor and processed into custody at the Office of Refugee Resettlement, according to the law firm.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has granted him the legal classification Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) – for youth who’ve survived abandonment, abuse or neglect, Beata Leja, principal attorney at the law firm, has said.

In Manuel-Andres’ case, the Department of Homeland Security also granted him Deferred Action, which provides legal protection from deportation, she has said. The SIJ classification remains valid indefinitely, while the Deferred Action protection remains valid until February 2029, Leja has said.

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