Community Demands the Release of SHS '24 Grad Yeonsoo Go, Detained by ICE in NY and Now in Louisiana

(Updated August 4,2025) Friends and supporters gathered at Federal Plaza on Saturday August 2, 2025 to protest the unlawful detention of Yeonsoo Go, the daughter of the Reverend Kyrie Kim and a 2024 graduate of Scarsdale High School who attends college at Purdue University.

On Saturday morning, friends and faith leaders gathered to demand her release and heard prayers and remarks from:


-The Rt. Rev. Matthew Heyd, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York
-Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition
-The Very Rev. Winnie Varghese, Dean of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine
-The Rev. Kyrie Kim, mother and Episcopal priest
-Councilmember Alexa Aviles
-Friends Caitlin Higgins and Gabby Lopez

A family friend of Soo shared that her visa is scheduled to expire in December 2025. She had already submitted an application for an extension and was summoned to court on Thursday, July 31, for a procedural issue related to that application. Soo was notified of the unexpected appearance only days in advance. At the end of the proceeding, the presiding judge set up a follow-up hearing for mid-August. However, as Soo exited the courtroom, she was detained by ICE agents. Her cell phone was confiscated, and she has had minimal contact with her family. On Sunday, Soo's mother learned that Soo had been flown to a detention center in Louisiana.

Caitlin Higgins, a close friend, described Soo as a role model to everyone who knows her and shared, “Soo is one of my best friends. Beyond being an amazing friend, she is incredibly kind, intelligent, faithful, and compassionate. I’m praying for her safe and immediate return.” At the time of her detention, Soo had been looking forward to taking her road test and finally obtaining her driver’s license in just two weeks. Then days later, she was scheduled to return to Purdue University to start her sophomore year in the School of Pharmacy.

Several community and government entities are actively involved in efforts to secure Soo’s release. These include Scarsdale Assemblymember Amy Paulin, Congressman George Latimer, and Senator Chuck Schumer, as well as Scarsdale Schools Superintendent Drew Patrick and the Scarsdale School District. Each is contributing within their respective roles to support her return.

Local residents were outraged by the story and sought ways to support her, launching a GoFundMe page and contacting religious leaders and elected officials. The Interfaith Clergy in Scarsdale has been notified and is ready to mobilize. Commenting on Facebook, one Scarsdale resident said, “These stories are everywhere. It’s starting to hit home now. Wake up call for Scarsdale.”

A community vigil for Yeonsoo has been scheduled for Thursday, August 7 at 5:00 p.m. in Chase Park, located in Scarsdale Village. The event is being organized by Assemblymember Amy Paulin in collaboration with the Scarsdale Interfaith Clergy. The program will include speakers, prayers, and music, with a full schedule to be released shortly. All members of the community are encouraged to attend and show their support for Yeonsoo’s release.”

On August 4, 2025 The Westchester Asian American Democrats(WAAD) called on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to immediately release Yeonsoo Go, a legal resident of Scarsdale, who was unlawfully detained by federal agents after a July 31 routine visa proceeding in a Manhattan court.

In a statement, the executive board said:

“We are outraged and heartbroken that Yeonsoo Go, only 20 years old, has become yet another legal resident unlawfully detained by ICE.

“A graduate of Scarsdale High School, Yeonsoo is currently a rising sophomore at Purdue University who has followed every requirement of her student visa. But minutes after a routine hearing, she was taken into ICE custody on July 31—without cause, without justice, without warning. This is not a bureaucratic failure nor an isolated incident. This is a human rights violation and part of a disturbing pattern of targeting immigrants. We demand the immediate release of Yeonsoo Go. We demand accountability. And we demand an end to the systemic injustices that criminalize our communities.

“We will not be silent. We call on every person of conscience to stand with us and Yeonsoo’s family and friends to speak up and fight back.”

Members of WAAD will attend a community rally and prayer scheduled for 5:00 PM Thursday, Aug. 7 at Chase Park (32 Chase Road) in Scarsdale, New York.