A man living in Maine who’s been in custody for nine months without a hearing will not be deported for the time being.
Eyidi Ambila has lived in the U.S. since he was seven, and is fighting deportation to the Congo while he appeals his case.
A federal judge on Monday postponed a hearing, which will ensure Ambila remains in the U.S. during the appeal process.
In 2007, Ambila received a deportation order stemming from a felony conviction but was not removed because the Congolese government had no record of his birth.
The ACLU of Maine has defended Ambila, saying he no longer has a connection to the Congo and risks being harmed if he’s forced to return.
After being detained at Cumberland County Jail, the government confirmed he had been moved to an ICE facility in Massachusetts.
