WINK News recently featured legal insight from Marcus Wobschall, immigration attorney and founder of Veritas Immigration Law, in coverage examining the effects of recent ICE detentions on students in Immokalee. The report followed community concern after videos showed ICE agents detaining farmworkers at major intersections, prompting school officials to urge staff to support affected students.
Wobschall explained the real-life consequences students face when a parent is detained. For U.S.-born children, he stressed that they will not face immigration proceedings, but the emotional trauma can be significant. “The sudden loss of your parent is extremely traumatic,” he shared. “If the detained parent is the sole caregiver, child services may step in temporarily, but ideally the child can stay with a trusted relative.”
For students who were not born in the United States, Wobschall outlined potential outcomes such as placement with the Office of Refugee Resettlement or eligibility for paths like Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, asylum, or other family-based relief options. Regardless of immigration status, he emphasized that the emotional toll on children is the same—and should not be overlooked.
Wobschall also emphasized that detained individuals still have due process rights before any removal. He encouraged community members to seek guidance from an experienced immigration attorney immediately when a loved one is detained.
Read the full WINK News coverage:
👉 Local Attorney Discusses Impact of ICE Detentions on Immokalee Students
