Alex Maganda, a 2018 Morehouse College graduate, is being held in a Texas detention center after a traffic violation led to his apprehension by immigration authorities.
Maganda came to the U.S. from Mexico at 5 years old, according to his attorney. But his detainment has his loved ones worried the Dallas resident could be deported.
According to Capital B News, Maganda is being held at the Bluebonnet Detention Facility, which is listed as a prison under contract for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
HBCU Support
The greater HBCU community began rallying for Maganda soon after word got out about is detainment. Morehouse alum JaMarcus Toomer made a post on Instagram, speaking highly of Maganda’s kind heart and spirit.
On June 10, Spelman College grad and social media influencer Lynae Vanee posted an impassioned plea on Instagram June 10 to her over 800,000 followers.
Other concerned parties began the hashtag #FreeAlexMaganda, leading to wider social support and grassroots efforts.
One of Maganda’s classmates posted on social media: “We need immediate legal support for our brother. This should not be happening to a Morehouse man.”
Background
According to a LinkedIn profile for “Alexis Maganda,” the Morehouse alum worked as a teaching assistant at the Atlanta HBCU, giving Spanish lessons to high school students after graduation. His current employment is listed as a sales executive with AT&T.
Nana Gyamfi, executive director for The Black Alliance for Just Immigration, spoke with Capital B Atlanta last month about the increased risk Black immigrants face.
“What we know from the data, as well as anecdotal experiences, is that most law enforcement interactions with Black immigrants begin as racial profiling that then goes down another road when the officer hears an accent or realizes there is a language barrier,” Gyamfi cautioned. “As a result, Black migrants are detained, deported, and held in solitary confinement at a disproportionately higher rate.
Given that there isn’t a way to distinguish a Black immigrant from a Black American citizen, it puts Black Americans at risk for ICE detention.
Maganda’s arrest follows heightened enforcement by Texas authorities under new state directives that require cooperation with federal immigration agents.
Efforts to assist Maganda are ongoing and he is currently receiving legal counsel. If you or anyone you know are interested in supporting Maganda, his family and the class councils, you can reach them at bringalexhome2025@gmail.com.