Renatho Casseus, a San Diego City College student who was detained by ICE near his school’s campus, has been set free from immigration detention.
Last Friday a federal judge ordered the release of the 20-year-old.
On Saturday afternoon he was driven out of Otay Mesa Detention Center and dropped off near the border. He spoke exclusively to KPBS Monday from his attorney’s office in Normal Heights.
“I’m happy to see my mom and dad, my friends, my brothers,” Casseus said.
His mother and father were seated off to the side, still too fearful to show their face on camera or speak on the record. He said he’s the eldest of three siblings.
Casseus had been held at the detention center for over a month. He was arrested by ICE on Sept. 8.
“While I was going to the parking lot of my school I saw the ICE agents coming up from their cars and asking me to roll down my window and I did it,” Casseus said. “And they arrested me.”
His arrest, and the arrest of other Haitians following the end of their country’s Temporary Protected Status, sparked an outcry from the larger San Diego community.
Casseus said he’s grateful for all of the support. He said prior to his arrest he wasn’t worried about his own immigration status.
“I was worried for the Haitian community, but I wasn't worried for me. Because I was a student — I didn't think ICE agents would target a student,” Casseus said.
He told KPBS he was not fully aware of the community support he was receiving until he saw himself on local news reports while inside the detention center. It caused mixed emotions.
“I was a little bit sad,” Casseus said.
Inside the detention facility, Casseus said he made unexpected connections with older detainees. They shared advice with him.
“I saw some Haitians who were older than me, Latinos, older people from other countries that … supported me inside,” he said. “I think I was the youngest one in my cell.”
Casseus said that advice helped him “stay strong,” a message he now wants to share with others who find themselves in similar situations.
“If that can happen to me — that can happen to any immigrant student who is studying at City College or any state (across the country)," he said.
Meanwhile, officials at San Diego City College said much has changed since Casseus’ arrest. There is now new signage around the perimeter of campus that states immigration agents are not allowed to carry out operations on district property.
“I think it changed students’ perception of: ‘is this a safe campus, is it safe for me to be in school?’ So we've had to look at our policies and practices,” said the college’s Vice President of Student Services Marciano Perez.
That includes policies like when students are dropped from classes. Perez said usually students are dropped from classes after two weeks of not being present.
“In the past if a student stopped coming to campus you know instructors would typically drop a student for non-attendance, now in some cases it might mean a student is detained,” Perez said.
Since Casseus’ Sept. 8 arrest, the San Diego Community College District said it’s expanded counseling and legal support services for students. Plus it now uses text alerts if immigration officials come onto campus.
Still, at an institution like City College with a large immigrant and mixed immigration-status population, Perez said there’s been a ripple effect from Casseus' arrest. It took place just off of campus grounds.
“We saw an increase in students who were reaching out asking about the process for withdrawing this semester — whether that was taking a temporary pause or completely withdrawing,” Perez said. “We had students who were reaching out to the instructors saying ‘Hey, I’m afraid to come to class but you have an attendance policy in place. I don't know if I can get to campus safely, what are my options?’”
A spokesperson for the San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) said enrollment at the College of Continuing Education has been “significantly impacted due to fears about immigration enforcement activity,” dating back to this spring.
District data show that year-over-year decline at that college between spring 2025 and spring 2026 was over 1600 students.
“We have seen a decline in enrollment given the immigrant and refugee populations we serve,” a spokesperson for the College of Continuing Education said in a statement. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting our students, removing barriers to education, and ensuring that our programs and services remain accessible during these challenging times.”
District data also show a year-over-year drop of over 440 students at City College dating back to this spring.
Casseus is not one of those students looking to withdraw. He’s eager to return to campus and to continue his studies as soon as possible. He wants to set an example for others.
“I’m planning to go back to school to continue my education to make my dream come true and help other immigrant students,” he said.
Casseus’ attorney said he has a pending asylum case. He estimated that it could take up to a year for a final decision.
An online fundraiser has been organized to help Casseus and his family deal with the fallout of his arrest and detainment.
