A University of Maryland student who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents alongside her mother is speaking publicly about her experience from an immigration detention facility in Louisiana.
Maria Flores Garcia, a former valedictorian at Parkdale High School in Prince George’s County, Maryland, was detained during an immigration check-in with her mother at an ICE office in Baltimore last week.
Flores Garcia, who was born in El Salvador, came to the United States with her family when she was 9 years old. She later graduated as the top student in her high school class and earned a full scholarship to the University of Maryland.
Speaking to WUSA9, Flores Garcia described the experience of being held in detention.
“I’m here with my mom, so that’s nice,” she said. “But you look at your surroundings and you’re like, ‘Oh my God, nobody deserves to be here. Especially me.'”
Read the original report from CBS News Baltimore.
From Parkdale High School Valedictorian to ICE Detention
Before her detention, Flores Garcia had built an impressive academic record.
She was named the 2026 valedictorian at Parkdale High School in Prince George’s County and received a full scholarship to attend the University of Maryland.
During her high school graduation, she spoke about the difficulties her family experienced after moving from El Salvador to Maryland. She said those challenges encouraged her to work hard academically and demonstrate that opportunities are possible despite difficult circumstances.
Flores Garcia was accompanying her mother to a scheduled immigration check-in when ICE agents moved to take her mother into custody. She chose to stay with her mother and was also detained.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provided a different part of the story, explaining the family’s immigration history.
According to a DHS spokesperson, Flores Garcia and her mother entered the United States illegally and were arrested in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas in 2016. The agency said they were placed in removal proceedings but later released.
DHS also stated that an immigration judge issued a final order of removal on February 23, 2021.
“She will remain in ICE custody pending her removal from the United States. This administration will not ignore the rule of law,” the DHS spokesperson said.
University Student Says Her Life Is on Hold
While in detention, Flores Garcia said she continues to think about the college classes and everyday activities she would normally be attending.
“I keep thinking, ‘Oh, I should be doing this in my math class, or going to my class,'” she told WUSA9.
She also spoke about other people held at the facility, saying many detainees have no criminal records and have established lives in the United States.
“Sadly, I’m not the only person that has no criminal record, that has made a life in the United States without hurting anybody that’s in here,” Flores Garcia said. “There’s millions and millions of stories in the cell. Everybody here misses their family.”
Flores Garcia described the conditions inside the detention facility as difficult.
“It’s just a big room. You can hear the people coughing. It smells in here,” she said.
In a separate interview with CBS News Baltimore, she explained that she is trying to stay positive while supporting other people around her.
“I’m definitely trying to keep my essence and stay true to myself as much as I can,” she said.
She also acknowledged that remaining positive has not always been easy.
“There’s obviously times where I break down because it’s devastating being here, knowing that my life outside is on pause. That I didn’t do anything to be here,” Flores Garcia said.
Read the WUSA9 interview with Maria Flores Garcia.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore Responds to Her Detention
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore publicly expressed support for Flores Garcia in a social media statement Wednesday.
Moore highlighted her academic achievements and said she should be with her family rather than in immigration detention.
“Maria Flores Garcia should be home with her family today,” Moore said.
He also criticized the circumstances surrounding her detention, noting that she was taken into custody while accompanying her mother to an immigration check-in.
Moore questioned the Trump administration’s approach to immigration enforcement and argued that ICE’s actions were affecting people beyond those with serious criminal records.
“ICE isn’t rounding up ‘the worst of the worst.’ This is just pure cruelty for cruelty’s sake,” Moore said.
He also called on President Donald Trump to reconsider the administration’s enforcement approach, particularly as discussions about a possible immigration agreement with Democrats continue.
As Flores Garcia remains in ICE custody, her case has drawn attention to the circumstances of her detention, her family’s immigration history, and the impact of immigration enforcement on students and families in Maryland.
