W&L Student, Father Released From Detention
Sophomore Hopes To Return Next Semester
A Washington and Lee University student and his father, who were detained by ICE in Florida for more than six weeks, were released from custody over the weekend, The News-Gazette has learned.
Luis Olarte Gosling, 19, and his dad, Luis Lugo, were arrested in St. Johns County on Sept. 2 as they drove from their home in Orlando to Lexington so Gosling could start his sophomore year, family members said. Gosling is attending W&L on a full scholarship and was preparing to move into the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity house on Nelson Street.
Gosling’s partner, Luis Mindiola, told The News-Gazette that father and son were pulled over seemingly at random and incarcerated at Baker Correctional Institute, about 45 miles west of Jacksonville.
The family’s attorney, Toma Makedonski, confirmed this week that the pair was released from prison after a bail hearing.
Mindiola wrote in a text message to The News-Gazette that Gosling and Lugo are now back home.
“They finally got released during the weekend, thank goodness,” Mindiola wrote. “They are safe and sound and just enjoying being home again.”
Gosling and his family are from Venezuela and moved to the U.S. legally in 2018 as asylum seekers. They have since been on temporary protected status (TPS), which allowed them to stay in the U.S. as long as they kept up with regular court hearings.
The Trump administration ended TPS for Venezuelans in October 2025. However, people who had valid work permits were allowed to stay through October 2026. Lugo has a work permit and the family has kept up with all of their court dates, Mindiola said. Their next court date was not scheduled until 2027.
Last month, ICE sent a statement to The News-Gazette confirming the arrest and writing that the family was authorized to remain in the U.S. until March 26, 2019. After that time, according to ICE, they were violating immigration law by not adjusting their immigration status.
The ICE statement did not mention the family’s asylum claim and advised them to self-deport.
According to Mindiola, Gosling’s father and uncle supported the opposition party during now-ousted president Nicolás Maduro’s tenure. Facing persecution under Maduro’s rule, they fled to the U.S. People who can prove that they have suffered from persecution in their home countries can apply for asylum under U.S. law.
The News-Gazette has not independently verified the family’s status, but Makedonski, the attorney, said the family will now face an asylum hearing. It is unclear when.
Shortly after Gosling’s arrest, his mother, Anais Gosling, set up a GoFundMe account, which has now raised more than $42,050 to help with the family’s legal expenses.
Anais Gosling wrote that her husband and son struggled with the conditions inside the prison, which is colloquially called the Deportation Depot and houses up to 2,000 people.
On Oct. 8, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in Florida, Americans for Immigrant Justice and the Southern Poverty Law Center sent a joint demand letter calling for the immediate closure of the facility due to accusations of medical neglect, abusive conditions and inhumane treatment of detainees.
From his home in Orlando, Luis Gosling gave an update through GoFundMe on Monday, writing, in part: “My dad and I have finally been released after six long weeks, and we are finally back home with our family. We want to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who donated to our GoFundMe and supported us during this difficult time.
“Every donation made a meaningful difference in helping us cover legal fees, pay the bonds for both my dad and me, and support my mom and sister with everyday household expenses while my dad, our family’s primary source of income, was detained.
“From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to everyone who donated, shared our fundraiser, or offered words of encouragement. We are truly grateful for your kindness and generosity, and we will never forget the support you have shown our family.”
Gosling graduated from high school in Orlando, where he earned an associate degree before starting school at W&L last year. He earned a full scholarship through nonprofit QuestBridge, which matches students from low-income backgrounds with full four-year colleges.
Mindiola said that because of what Gosling and his family went through, his education is incredibly important to him.
“He’s a hard-working guy. He has always been,” Mindiola said. “He knew that he had to do the best, not only for him and his future, but also for his parents, so they could see that they made the right decision coming here.”
Mindiola said Gosling plans to take a leave of absence for the rest of this semester and return to W&L for the winter semester in January.
“He has worked really, really hard to get to where he is right now,” Mindiola said. “He’s very resilient.”
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