18-year-old Woman Previously Granted Special Protection Detained by ICE After Shift at Highmark Stadium

An 18-year-old Venezuelan woman who worked as a custodian at Buffalo’s Highmark Stadium remains in federal custody following an unexpected arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Yusgleidy Villa Alvarez had been legally residing in the United States with special immigrant juvenile status, a designation that allowed her to pursue a green card and work authorization. In February, she was granted a work permit valid through mid-2028. However, according to a federal lawsuit filed in October, her status was abruptly revoked the same day she completed her first shift cleaning the stadium on September 19th, just hours before she was detained by ICE agents.

For more than a month, Villa Alvarez was held at the Niagara County Jail, which contracts with ICE to detain migrants before being transferred to another out-of-state facility. Her lawyers from the Erie County Bar Association’s Volunteer Lawyers Project argue her detention is unconstitutional and that immigration authorities applied a recent policy change to her case retroactively.

Court documents state that Villa Alvarez entered the United States in August 2023 after losing both parents - her mother to brain cancer earlier that year - and later received federal protection meant to prevent deportation and detention. Her lawyers contend that the Department of Homeland Security did not have a warrant for her arrest and that terminating her protected status without notice violated her constitutional rights.

The lawsuit also highlights the financial incentive tied to her detention as the Niagara County Jail earns $148 per day per detainee under its ICE contract. Holding Villa Alvarez for more than a month reportedly generated over $6,000 in revenue.

Federal officials have since moved to dismiss the case. District Judge Elizabeth Wolford has yet to issue a ruling.

If successful, the case could set a precedent on how immigration policy changes are applied to minors previously granted special protections under federal law.

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18-year-old Woman Previously Granted Special Protection Detained by ICE After Shift at Highmark Stadium