On Friday, Nov. 6, 2025, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (
ICE
) agents apprehended a 23-year-old UC Berkeley student inside the gate area of San Francisco International Airport. Paula Valentina Albornoz Hernandez, a business administration major, was preparing to board a flight to Portland with her boyfriend Anthony when plain-clothed officers approached, asked for her name, and then took her into custody without identifying themselves as immigration officials.
The detention unfolded just moments before the couple’s scheduled departure. According to her lawyer, Niko De Bremaeker of Centro Legal de la Raza, the agents “didn’t identify themselves as ICE or immigration, or even police” before seizing Albornoz Hernandez. The student was initially held at the Stockton Detention Center for the weekend, then transferred to the California City Detention Center, a facility that earlier this year faced a court-ordered review highlighting serious deficiencies in its medical care.
Background and immigration status
Albornoz Hernandez arrived in the United States from Colombia in 2022 and enrolled at San Jose City College before transferring to UC Berkeley, where she has been conducting research on artificial intelligence. She overstayed her original visa and subsequently filed an asylum petition, citing “severe gender-based violence” she experienced in her home country. The application remains pending, but she possesses a valid work permit. Her attorney emphasizes that she has never been charged with a crime; a comprehensive search of Alameda County and federal court records revealed no prior arrests.
Legal response and university reaction
De Bremaeker announced plans to file a habeas corpus petition, challenging the legality of her detention. He described Albornoz Hernandez as a person who “has been complying at every step, doing everything she was supposed to do,” and warned that the arrest exemplifies the “arbitrary nature” of recent immigration enforcement actions. The university’s administration quickly rallied behind the student. Chancellor Rich Lyons issued a letter to immigration officials, calling her “one of our outstanding students” and urging authorities to allow her to resume her studies without further interference.
Lyons’ correspondence underscored the potential academic impact of the detention, noting that completing a degree at UC Berkeley requires “remarkable dedication and perseverance.” He requested that officials consider releasing Albornoz Hernandez so she may continue her coursework and research uninterrupted.
Institutional silence and broader implications
When Berkeleyside reached out for comment, an ICE spokesperson asked for additional details but did not provide an immediate response. The lack of transparency fuels concerns among immigrant advocacy groups, who argue that the incident signals a resurgence of aggressive enforcement tactics reminiscent of the Trump administration’s mass-deportation push launched last year.
Students, faculty, and local activists have begun organizing petitions and solidarity events, framing Albornoz Hernandez’s case as a litmus test for how immigration policy intersects with campus life. The episode also spotlights systemic issues at detention facilities like California City, where earlier investigations identified significant shortcomings in healthcare provision for detainees.
As the legal battle unfolds, the case stands as a potential precedent for future challenges to ICE actions on university grounds. It also raises questions about the balance between national security objectives and the rights of individuals pursuing education in the United States.
