Deferred deportation request denied for undocumented Durham man

Following a Monday protest outside the Wake County Detention Center, officials learned that the deferred deportation request for an undocumented man who had lived in the United States for more than 22 years has been denied.

Posted 4:28 p.m. Nov 26, 2018 — Updated 4:21 a.m. Nov 27, 2018

Sarah Krueger, WRAL reporter,

and

Alfred Charles, WRAL.com managing editor

RALEIGH, N.C. — Following a Monday protest outside the Wake County Detention Center, officials learned that the deferred deportation request for an undocumented man who had lived in the United States for more than 22 years has been denied.

A group, which included the Rev. William Barber, gathered under cloudy skies to sing and pray over the treatment of Samuel Oliver-Bruno, who had spent the past 11 months at Durham church while seeking sanctuary from deportment.

According to online records published by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Oliver-Bruno was transferred from the Wake County jail to an ICE detainment center in Georgia. He was expected to be held there while his request to become a legal U.S. resident makes its way through the bureaucratic process.

On Monday night, Rep. G. K. Butterfield said he was notified that Oliver-Bruno's petition for deferred deportation had been denied. He said he and Rep. David Price are calling for an immediate reversal of the order of removal for Oliver-Bruno.

Many of the people who attended the protest at the Wake jail didn't know Oliver-Bruno had been moved out of state.

"This morning, probably because they knew you were coming, they moved him from this facility to a facility in Georgia," Barber told the group. "We will not be a party to political terrorism. We don’t want to see these families destroyed. Nor do we want to see America destroyed."

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Oliver-Bruno was taken into custody on Friday while he was at a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Morrisville for an appointment. He was with his son, Daniel Oliver-Perez, 19, when Oliver-Bruno was taken into custody.

Oliver-Perez, who is a citizen born in the U.S., was also arrested and charged with assaulting a government employee after law enforcement officials said he assaulted an ICE officer.

Ismael Ruiz-Millan, Samuel’s pastor in Greenville, said Oliver-Perez's faith has kept him going.

"It’s what has got him to this point," RuizMillan said. "It’s what is keeping him strong."

Dozens arrested after ICE detains undocumented man living in Durham church for 11 months

The detainment of Oliver-Bruno generated national news coverage amid an uproar over President Donald Trump's immigration policies, which has included threats to shut down the U.S./Mexican border

"It’s very clear that it was a trap," Ruiz-Millan said.

May said once Oliver-Bruno completed paperwork, he and his son, Oliver-Perez, went to a line to be processed while several clergy members stayed in a waiting room.

An ICE agent tackled Oliver-Bruno and placed him into custody while the group that had accompanied him to the ICE office began shouting and chanting.

Over two dozen people were arrested in connection with the impromptu protest on Friday at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office.

Oliver-Bruno came to the attention of immigration authorities in 2014, when he was detained by Border Patrol as he tried to enter the United States after a visit to Mexico. He was released on a "Stay of Removal" to care for his ailing wife.

Oliver-Bruno had lived in sanctuary in the CityWell United Methodist Church for 11 months. ICE traditionally has not arrested people inside a church, hospital or school because of its sensitive location policy.

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