Release from Detention
Nicaraguan journalist Luis Galeano was released from US immigration custody early Saturday, September 26, 2026, after posting $10,000 bail. Galeano, who directs the opinion program Cafe con Voz, had been held for 12 days by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following his arrest in Orlando, Florida, on September 14.
“I am alive, healthy and free again, and ready to continue the fight against the tyrants,” Galeano stated via his program’s social media channels. He remains under the jurisdiction of US immigration authorities, with a critical hearing scheduled for October 2 to address his status.
Legal Stakes and Asylum Status
Galeano has lived in the United States since 2018, when he fled Nicaragua following a government crackdown on independent media and journalists. According to the Havana Times, he has an affirmative asylum application pending and, per the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), possessed both a work permit and a valid Social Security number at the time of his detention.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that Galeano is currently facing deportation proceedings. This development has triggered concern among international press freedom organizations, including the Inter American Press Association, which argued that returning the journalist to Nicaragua poses “serious risks.” In 2023, the Nicaraguan government declared Galeano a “traitor to the homeland,” stripping him of his nationality and confiscating his assets.
Broader Migration Concerns
The case has drawn attention to the treatment of Nicaraguan nationals in the US, with groups such as the Nicaraguan American Human Rights Alliance (NAHRA) warning that increased ICE enforcement is affecting individuals with pending legal status. NAHRA reports suggest that even those who entered the country legally or have complied with immigration obligations have faced detention, a trend that is intensifying as US immigration policies tighten.