A Venezuelan man arrested by federal authorities has been released without explanation after nearly a week in an out-of-state detention facility. That’s according to his attorney.
Beker Rengifo del Castillo was initially pulled over last week by Whitefish Police, according to his attorney Andrea Sweeney. Sweeney says U.S. Border Patrol agents were called to the scene and arrested Rengifo del Castillo.
She says he was later transported to Tacoma, Washington under Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, custody.
She says Rengifo del Castillo is enrolled in a Biden-era program that allows people from Venezuela and other countries to stay and work legally in the U.S. Sweeney adds he also has a pending asylum claim.She says there are still no clear answers from ICE about his detention.
“Really no explanation of why he was held or why they were now releasing him.”
Sweeney doesn’t expect federal authorities to pursue a deportation case. She says Rengifo del Castillo wasn’t given any charging documents.
ICE couldn’t be reached for comment by deadline.
