Jessie Tepler-Mujambere released to Canada after two-day ICE detention

Jessie Tepler-Mujambere returned to Canada on Friday following a two-day detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The 28-year-old was taken into custody on Wednesday after a traffic stop in Colebrook, New Hampshire. He had recently obtained Canadian citizenship and was traveling with his new passport at the time of the arrest.

Family members stated that Tepler-Mujambere was on his way to Canada to begin a new life. He lived with his adoptive parents in Maine starting in 2015 at age 16. His older sister first met him while teaching English as a Second Language at a local high school. He was formally adopted by the family when he was 22.

Denise Tepler, a Democrat and state senator from Sagadahoc County, described the incident in a phone interview. She called the current system messed up and expressed concern about racial elements in enforcement. Tepler noted that her son had been working as a case manager and support professional in a group home for people with disabilities before his work authorization expired earlier this year.

The Department of Homeland Security provided a statement addressing the detention. A spokesperson said that Tepler-Mujambere entered the U.S. on a visa in November 2014 and overstayed his permission to remain, which ended in May 2015. The agency clarified that a pending application for asylum does not confer legal status. The spokesperson rejected claims of racial profiling, stating that targeting is based on illegal presence rather than skin color or ethnicity.

Colebrook police officers participated in the stop under a 287(g) agreement with ICE. This arrangement allows local law enforcement to identify individuals suspected of being in the country unlawfully and transfer them to federal agents. The police chief did not respond to requests for comment. The DHS spokesperson confirmed that the local partner determined Tepler-Mujambere was illegally present and that he requested an incentivized departure to Canada on Wednesday.

Tepler spoke with her son on Friday afternoon. She reported that he was in good spirits and relieved to be in Canada. She said he is glad to be in the country where he intended to start his life and build a future. The family emphasized that he felt the time was right to move due to stalled immigration proceedings and expired work authorization.

The detention occurred approximately 10 miles from the Canadian border. Tepler-Mujambere had been in asylum proceedings but hoped for legal status that faded under recent immigration policies. His adoptive father holds dual Canadian citizenship, a connection that may have influenced the family’s decision regarding his future.