Alex Maganda is being held at the Bluebonnet Detention Facility in Anson, Texas, following a traffic violation.

His arrest has sparked a wave of support from the HBCU community, with alums and influencers rallying to highlight his case. Maganda, who came to the U.S. from Mexico when he was 5, was a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. However, his DACA status recently expired. 

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His girlfriend, Maszoliin Spencer, expressed concerns about his future to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, saying, “This man has been here since 2000. It’s 2025 and he’s 30 years old and has this huge community. He doesn’t know anyone [in Mexico]. He’s from there, but he doesn’t know anything. This country shaped him.”

Carrie Nguyen, Maganda’s attorney, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution her client has a good chance of being released on immigration bond.

“He graduated high school, had a very accomplished football career, went to Morehouse, has a good job, he pays his taxes, he has a U.S. citizen girlfriend,” Nguyen said, adding, “Did he make a mistake? Absolutely. But who hasn’t? He’s not a danger to the community and he’s not a flight risk because there are ways for him to obtain his residency down the road.”

HBCU students and alums come together

Capital B and Black Enterprise have reported on how social media has played a pivotal role in raising awareness about Maganda’s situation.

Fellow Morehouse alum JaMarcus Toomer and Spelman College graduate Lynae Vanee have used their platforms to highlight his case. 

Vanee shared, “I am reaching out with an urgent plea for assistance regarding our brother, friend, and classmate, Alex Maganda, a member of the Class of 2018, who has recently been detained by ICE.”

Toomer echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the importance of solidarity within the HBCU community. The hashtag #FreeAlexMaganda has gained traction, with supporters calling for action to prevent his deportation. 

According to Spencer, Maganda has felt comforted by the outpouring of support from his HBCU peers. 

“I don’t feel alone, he doesn’t feel alone, his family doesn’t feel alone,” Spencer told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “If we can get him home that would be the biggest blessing.”
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After students were forced out of their homes and communities due to the U.S. Department of Labor‘s interruption of operations, two HBCUs in Georgia are coming together to assist those heavily impacted.

As Blavity reported, many Job Corps enrollees depend on their centers for more than just hands-on training in fields like welding, nursing and carpentry. They count on on-campus housing, meals and medical care. When these sites were forced to shut their doors overnight, over 29,000 students were left with an uncertain future, according to Axios.

Shorter College shows up with tuition, housing and heart

According to Black Enterprise, Shorter College, an HBCU located in Rome, Georgia, quickly mobilized to offer displaced Job Corps students an opportunity to enroll in summer courses. The college leveraged state and federal scholarship funds to provide free tuition to students in need, but securing housing and meals required an even broader, community-driven response.

“And so therefore, these individuals would have a place to lay their heads,” Shorter College President Jeffery Norfleet told NPR via Black Enterprise. 

He added, “They would receive at least three meals a day, possibly snacks and more. The staff, the faculty, and the administration are willing to make this a success because we do believe in the future for these individuals.”

Morris Brown College extends a lifeline to Job Corps students in crisis

Additionally, Morris Brown College, another celebrated HBCU in Georgia, is also actively encouraging displaced students to apply. Kevin James, Morris Brown’s President and a proud Job Corps alumnus, expressed deep concerns over the implications these closures have for Black and brown students.

“Some of the changes that have been made have affected negatively Black and brown students directly,” James said, per Black Enterprise. “Job Corps is just one example that many students of color will negatively be impacted.”

Despite the challenges ahead, James and fellow HBCU leaders remain determined to protect students from becoming casualties of federal budget decisions.

“So we’re not just going to throw you in the deep end of the pool,” James said. “We’re going to make sure that you have all the resources that you need to be successful.”

Although Georgia’s proactive response provides hope for some, thousands of other Job Corps students and faculty across the country still face an unpredictable fate without alternative options.

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