He Is Our Brother — Trion Students Speak Out as Classmate Sits in ICE Custody Weeks Before Graduation

Within the past year, we have seen countless news stories about ICE raids in New York and Chicago, and we have listened to podcasts about the racial profiling of children. But we, living in a small, close-knit community in rural Georgia, never believed that an act of injustice would happen here in Trion — especially not one reaching this close to home. This past week, it did.

Trion High School senior Elder Aguilar-Macario was recently detained by immigration officials following a traffic stop for failure to maintain lanes — a misdemeanor that millions of teenage drivers are cited for every year. In Aguilar-Macario’s case, he did not have a valid license — not because of a choice he made, but because of a decision his parents made when he was only eight years old, a decision made to give their family a better life. It was a decision he had no say in. He was a child.

He is not alone in that circumstance. Since 2010, approximately 1.1 million undocumented minors have been reported in the United States, according to the American Immigration Council. But to his classmates at Trion High School, Elder Aguilar-Macario is much more than a statistic. He is a real person who, more than ever, needs empathy, love, and support from his community.

His classmate Magdalena Castro spoke out because the situation hit close to home in more ways than one.

“It’s heartbreaking. I’ve experienced something similar with my own dad, so I know how devastating and emotional situations like this can be for an entire family. People don’t always realize the fear, uncertainty, and pain families carry during moments like this until they’ve lived through it themselves.”

Castro also spoke directly about who Elder is and what his detention means to the Class of 2026.

“Seeing this happen to Elder so close to graduation is honestly heartbreaking. To a lot of people, this may just seem like another story, but to students who actually know him and our class of 2026, we know he’s more than that. Elder is someone who’s always loved playing soccer, being around his team, and just being a normal student trying to build a future for himself. No matter what opinions people may have, I think it’s important to remember that he is still a young person with dreams, goals, friends, and people who care deeply about him. I just hope people choose compassion and understanding instead of judgment. Praying that Elder is able to walk the stage with our class.”

Outside of Chattooga County, young people are also wrestling with what this moment says about the communities they are growing up in. LaFayette High School senior Marvin Fuentes, who shares acquaintances with Aguilar-Macario, is deeply disappointed.

“Every time I see a Hispanic person on the Facebook crime pages, I look at the comments and am instantly disappointed in my community. At school, we are always taught to respect and love one another unconditionally, but many people believe it doesn’t apply to all. When we talk about undocumented citizens, we always refer to the Hispanic ones — never the white ones — and it proves how much more work we have to do in our society. No one is too young, too poor, or too ‘illegal’ to show up, support, and advocate for what you believe in.”

That conviction is part of what is driving Fuentes toward a future in immigration law.

Anyone who spent any length of time with Elder could tell you one thing — he loved playing soccer. But more than the game itself, he loved his team, and he cherished the bond he shared with each one of his teammates. To Aguilar-Macario and the rest of the Trion Bulldog Soccer Team, soccer was never just an after-school sport. It was family.

The team felt his absence deeply during their Elite Eight playoff game Monday night. His presence was missed on the field, but it was his absence that spoke loudest — a reminder that something was wrong, that one of their own was not where he was supposed to be.

Senior teammate Adrian Chilel put it plainly.

“Elder has always been more than just a teammate or acquaintance to the team and everyone who knows him. He is our brother and friend. He is just as important to the team and our brotherhood as anyone else, if not more. Without him being here, whether it was on or off the field, we lacked a captain, role model, and family member. His absence this past week has weighed heavier on all of us than our season ending ever could. I could never imagine the impact this incident has had on his family, that he does everything for. Elder has never been just a teammate or student. He is a companion, leader, son, brother, and the epitome of hard work.”

No matter your political affiliation or who you did or did not vote for, the young people of Trion and surrounding communities are stepping up — because to them, Elder Aguilar-Macario’s detention is not an empty statistic. It is a reflection of what happens when empathy disappears from a community that has long claimed to be close-knit. This is no longer something that only happens in major cities. It is here. It is personal. And the young people of Chattooga County are making clear they are not willing to look away.