How is Elder Doing?
Elder remains positive and hopeful as he continues to wait in detention on his habeas petition. It has been 15 days since the last deadline that Elder expected to hear something from the judge or the government. The waiting is not the only challenge – the uncertainty of not knowing what comes next would weigh heavily on anyone in this situation. Elder also tells us he is extremely grateful for the efforts everyone is making on his behalf.
Did You Know?
Winn Correctional, where Elder is being detained, has had its 3rd death this calendar year (the 25th death in ICE detention nationwide). US media has been slow to report on this, while foreign news outlets started reporting this most recent death last Friday. Winn is not a safe place, especially for a high school student such as Elder. https://austinkocher.substack.com/p/ice-detention-claims-25th-life-since
Also happening this week: the main tool that lawyers and families have to track detainees in ICE custody is the “Online Detainee Locator System” (https://locator.ice.gov/odls/#/search). Without notice, ICE stopped including detainees with final orders of removal in this system. This means without knowing where clients or loved ones are, the government will be able to deport detainees before anyone else is even aware. People with final orders of removal are still granted legal pathways to appeal that order; by making these detainees essentially untraceable, people are “vanishing” from the system.
Our Community In Action
Elder’s Chair
The youth committee at Central Presbyterian in Downingtown was inspired by listening to everyone who spoke at Elder’s vigil. Elder’s teacher had said “Hope, Kindness, and Love are contagious”, and that message took hold. The group decided to build an “Elder Chair” themselves. They learned it was called a Viking Chair and was something that could be built in a few weeks at church. Everyone pitched in to make it happen. The group drew up plans, got supplies and set up the youth room with power tools, and got started this past Sunday. Over the next 2 weeks, the group will continue to construct an extra large version of Elder’s chair to display outside of Central Presbyterian until Elder is finally home. The younger children in Sunday school made mini versions out of popsicle sticks and tape.
Team Elder in the media
Yesterday, Pastors Johnson & Yarnell and advocates Angela Della Valle and Martha Chan were interviewed by independent journalist Nick Valencia. They spoke about their recent visit to Rep. Aderholt’s office in Washington, D.C. and how they hope their visit will impact lawmakers to do the right thing and bring Elder home. Martha connected from outside Moshannon, the ICE detention facility in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. Yesterday, the county passed approval of a contract that “grants a six-month extension of an agreement between Clearfield County and ICE, which means the federal agency will continue to operate its largest facility in the northeast, the Moshannon Valley Processing Center. Clearfield County will receive $100,000 for renewing the contract.” Martha was one of many who showed up in the community to protest the extension of the contract. https://www.pennlive.com/news/2026/09/shame-on-you-pa-county-renews-ice-contract-amid-protests-and-community-outcry.html
During the interview, Elder was able to call from Winn. The connection was not consistent, but viewers were able to hear directly from Elder. It is difficult for him to be in a place like Winn, where he is the only teenager. He misses his family, his school and his friends the most. Viewers also got to experience first hand how challenging it can be just to communicate with those being detained. Phones are not consistently available, and when they are, the connection can be poor. Multiple times during the interview, Elder lost video connection.
View the entire interview here on Nick’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/live/MtGihCAhCcU
Free Elder Phone Bank
Ongoing this week, we are hosting a phone bank to keep attention on Elder’s case. Representative Aderholt’s office has had an open investigation into Elder’s situation for weeks, but has not provided any meaningful updates. We need to continue to keep attention on Elder’s case. Please consider signing up for a slot: https://tinyurl.com/FreeElderPhoneBankSignUp
As of this writing, we have had over 80 people sign up to call – we thank every single one of you! Every call matters. Some of our volunteers have been sending comments along. There are many encouraging words of “Free Elder / Bring Elder home”; and one volunteer even decided to celebrate their birthday by making calls.
In Solidarity,
Team Elder