A local DJ says he is on his way back to Seattle after spending three weeks locked up at an ICE facility in Massachusetts.
David Ardila says he flew to Boston to watch the France vs Morocco FIFA game on July 9.
“One of my favorite players is Mbappé , so I was there just to see him,” said Ardila. “I was on cloud nine. I couldn’t believe what I had just watched.”
The next day, he was at the Boston Logan International Airport waiting to return to Seattle when a stranger asked him for his name.
“And when I said my last name, he said, ’You’re under arrest,” said Ardila.
Ardila says after the person who asked him for his name confirmed he was an ICE agent, several others surrounded him, then handcuffed him.
“[They] walked me through the whole airport as people watched and recorded as if I was a criminal,” said Ardila.
Ardila came from Venezuela to the United States in 2017 and says he applied for asylum shortly after arriving. He spent his first years in Florida and California before coming to Seattle in 2020.
While he was detained in Boston, Ardila asked authorities why he was arrested.
“They said that I was illegally in the country and that my TPS (visa) had expired,” said Ardila.
KIRO 7 reached out to ICE, but the agency has not responded to our request.
Ardila admits his temporary protected status did expire, but his asylum case is pending, and he has an upcoming hearing.
“I have maintained legal status in the country, have not missed any court dates, have had everything straight since I’ve been here,” said Ardila.
Ardila says he was released on July 31, and his cousin has set up this GoFundMe to help him with legal expenses.
“I don’t take things for granted anymore; I value the little things in life a lot more,” said Ardila.
Ardila is set to return to Seattle later this week, where he’ll be DJing at a live fundraiser that his friends have put together for him this Friday.
“I’m looking forward to giving all my friends - that are basically now my adopted family - a big hug and being present with them,” said Ardila.
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