Federal Judge Orders UC Berkeley Student's Release From ICE Detention

BERKELEY, CA — A UC Berkeley student who was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at San Francisco International Airport has been released from detention, university officials confirmed Monday.

A federal judge ordered ICE to release Paula Valentina Albornoz Hernandez, 23, on Monday morning, UC Berkeley Chancellor Richard Lyons said in a campus-wide email.

"This is a moment to remember what’s possible when our community comes together to support one of our own," Lyons said in a message thanking Albornoz Hernandez's legal team, community leaders who sent letters of support and other community members. "Today, we celebrate this news and look forward to welcoming Paula back to our campus community."

Paula Valentina Albornoz Hernández, a student at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business, was arrested Friday, Oct. 31.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Patch last week that Albornoz Hernández arrived from Colombia on Sept. 6, 2022, and was given permission to stay until March 6, 2023.

"In defiance of our nation’s laws, she did not depart," leading to her arrest, a DHS spokesperson said at the time.

The incident sparked immediate action in Berkeley, whose mayor called the arrest "deeply concerning."

"Detaining a student under these circumstances does nothing to make our community safer," Berkeley Mayor Adena Ishii said. "It creates fear among immigrant families and students who call Berkeley home."

Albornoz Hernandez has no criminal record and an active asylum case, according to federal authorities. Federal officials said at the time that wasn't enough for the 23-year-old to stay in the United States.

Following the arrest, university officials quickly mobilized legal support to ensure Albornoz Hernandez gets the proper advice and representation.

"This student is a valued member of our community, and campus leadership is doing everything within our power to support them so that they may return to their life at Berkeley to continue their studies with us," university officials said at the time.