Prince George’s County leaders call for release of UMD student, mother detained by ICE

Prince George's County leader is calling for the release of a University of Maryland student and her mother who have been detained by Customs Immigration and Enforcement. We want to get out to Fox 5's Melanie Alwick. She's live in College Park this morning with more. Mel. Good morning. The University of Maryland says it is aware of the student's situation. Prince George's County Executive Aisha Braveboy says she is just outraged by this and they're working to try to do something about it. And family and friends as well reaching out. Trying to get publicity for the story so they can try to bring Maria and her mother home. Now, 19-year-old Maria Flores Garcia, pictured here. And this is her mom, 48-year-old Mirna Flores Garcia, in happier times. The family came to the United States from El Salvador when Maria was nine. Maria's boyfriend says they went for their yearly immigration check-in Thursday in Baltimore. He says Mirna was detained. Maria, given the choice, refused to leave her mom and was detained as well. Well, Maria, was valedictorian. valedictorian of Parkdale High School's class of 2026, she received a scholarship to attend the University of Maryland. Maria is studying public health and has dreams of becoming a doctor. Her boyfriend, Cesar, and family are anxiously waiting for updates. From Baltimore, they got transferred to Chantilly. It was a detention center over there in Virginia. And then they got transferred somewhere else in Virginia. And then from there is where they were sent to Louisiana, where they're at now. Both of them haven't done anything wrong in this country. Now in a statement the University of Maryland said our thoughts are with the student and their family and friends and we are working to provide resources when possible and appropriate. The community is now working to raise money to get them legal representation. And continuing with Prince George's County, Aisha Braveboy's sentiments on this. She said that she is going to be calling for the pair's immediate release, working now with state and federal authorities. As we know, this has been happening in Prince George's County before. If you recall, Kilmar Abrego-Garcia's case getting that national attention. So she is going to be working as well to try to get the mom and her daughter returned home.