Worthington man release following 'unlawful' detention by ICE

A Worthington man who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement last week has been released following a judge's order.

Jose Lozano, 28, had been detained in Worthington on Jan. 30. According to information shared Wednesday by Kivu Immigration Law of Worthington, Lozano was released from ICE custody "a few minutes before midnight" the previous night. That came following a ruling the day before from United States District Judge Jerry W. Blackwell had that ICE had no grounds to detain Lozano, and his immediate release was ordered. ICE finally released Lozano 30 hours later.

In his order, the judge wrote that Lozano's "continued detention rests on a statute and an interpretation that does not apply and is unlawful." The order also notes that ICE "failed to produce a warrant or any other exhibit that sets forth the proper basis for (his) detention. Thus, the statutory requirements authorizing detention ... are not satisfied."

Lozano had been in custody at a Minneapolis detention center.