A Hamilton County commissioner said he confirmed the county Sheriff’s Office was not involved in the detention or deportation of a Chattanooga Prep student after raising questions about the federal operation at a commission meeting Wednesday.
Anastasio Tomas, a 16-year-old junior at Chattanooga Preparatory School, remains in Guatemala with family members following their deportation in September, according to recent reports.
Tomas was detained as part of an operation looking for his brother, Nicolas Tomas-Vasquez, officials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in an email Friday. He was on his way to school with his brother on Sept. 16 when federal officers detained them, Tomas told News Channel 9.
Both brothers, along with their mother, Maria Vasquez-Mazariegos, were later deported to Guatemala. An ICE spokesperson said the family was in the country illegally, citing a July 18, 2019 final removal order from an immigration judge.
“Against our nation’s laws, they failed to depart the country,” said ICE spokesperson Melissa Egan.
At Wednesday’s meeting of the Hamilton County Commission, Commissioner Warren Mackey, D-Lake Vista, asked whether the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office used any manpower or other resources in Tomas’ detention.
“I just want to make sure that people in my district and in this county know that we are checking with the sheriff’s department to make sure they’re not doing anything out of line,” Mackey said.
County staff told him they would investigate.
The following day, Mackey met with Sheriff Austin Garrett, and Garrett said his office was not involved in the federal operation, Mackey said in a phone interview Thursday.
“I was looking to bring the Hamilton County attorney into this conversation, but because none of our departments and people were involved, it wasn’t necessary to sit down with her,” he said. “Had we been involved, I definitely would’ve gotten her on the record as well.”
The Sheriff’s Office confirmed its lack of involvement in Tomas’ detention and deportation via email Thursday.
“The HCSO was not involved; you will need to talk to ICE for information,” said Gracyn Gordon, a spokesperson for the department.
In September, Tomas told NewsChannel 9 he had been approved for a juvenile visa earlier that month. The Times Free Press could not independently verify the reported approval or determine whether it would affect his ability to return to the United States.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Justice Department said via email the Executive Office for Immigration Review does not comment on cases before the agency, and immigration officials did not answer questions about the possibility of Tomas’ return.
A spokesperson for Chattanooga Prep declined to comment on any potential updates.
“We care deeply about every student and family in our school community,” said Margie Scott, school communications director, via email. “Out of respect for the privacy of our students and families, we will not be participating in an interview or providing additional comment regarding this matter.”
Whether Tomas will have the opportunity to finish his schooling at Chattanooga Prep remains unclear.
A GoFundMe fundraiser was at nearly $10,000 of its $11,000 goal to pay for his legal efforts. An Oct. 7 update on the page says “We’re bringing Anastasio home” but no other information is provided, and the fundraiser is still accepting donations.
The organizer of the fundraiser, Yolanda Soto Santizo, did not respond to messages asking about Tomas’ current status.
Contact policy and public impact reporter John P. Boan at jboan@timesfreepress.com.