Congressmen decry detention of immigrant who left church

DURHAM, N.C. – Two North Carolina congressmen are slamming the Trump administration as “callous” and “cruel” after an immigrant who sought refuge from deportation in a church was arrested after arriving at an appointment with immigration officials.

Democratic Reps. David Price and G.K. Butterfield said Mexican national Samuel Oliver-Bruno appeared to have been entrapped by federal officials when was detained Friday at a Raleigh-area immigration office.

The advocacy group Alerta Migratoria NC said Oliver-Bruno went to have fingerprints taken so he could apply to stay in North Carolina with his wife and son. He spent 11 months in a Durham church to avoid immigration authorities.

Price and Butterfield they will fight to keep Oliver-Bruno with his family and have received assurances from ICE that he will remain in U.S. while his case is adjudicated.