College student in US illegally free after weeks in custody

SAN DIEGO – A University of California, Berkeley student has been released after nearly three weeks in an immigration facility near the U.S.-Mexico border.

His attorney says Luis Mora was released unconditionally from the Otay Mesa Detention Facility on Wednesday.

Mora cried when he was released and told San Diego ABC affiliate KGTV that it was the first time he had seen the sun in 18 days.

Officials say Mora overstayed his visa while visiting the U.S. from Colombia as a child and is not authorized to be in the country.

The 20-year-old was returning from a party with his girlfriend when they took a wrong turn and ended up at a border checkpoint, where he was detained.

Mora says he’s grateful he could make his case and stay in the United States.