Wilmer Chavarría, the superintendent of a Winooski public school system in Vermont, was detained and interrogated by federal Customs and Border Protection agents for four to five hours after returning to the U.S. from Nicaragua.
Chavarría, 36, experienced this incident on Monday evening while using the Global Entry program at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.
In a distressing account, he described the experience as bizarre and traumatizing, highlighting that agents made homophobic remarks and threatened him during the prolonged questioning.
Chavarría reported feeling stripped of his rights as a U.S. citizen, expressing, “I don’t wish this on anybody… It’s utterly terrifying, as a US citizen, to be told you have no rights and you should stop talking about your rights.”
A spokesperson for Customs and Border Protection did not provide a comment regarding the incident.
The incident has garnered attention after it was reported by Seven Days, a Burlington, Vermont, newspaper.
Born in a refugee camp during the Nicaraguan Revolution, Chavarría moved to the U.S. for college in 2008 after completing high school in Canada. He obtained his U.S. citizenship in 2018 while retaining his Nicaraguan citizenship.
Previously a teacher and principal, Chavarría has served for two years as the superintendent in Winooski, known for being the most diverse school district in Vermont, which implemented a “sanctuary school” policy earlier this year to prevent federal authorities from using school resources for immigration enforcement.
Chavarría’s family has directly faced issues due to President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. Earlier this year, his brother, sister-in-law, and two nieces decided to return to Nicaragua rather than risk losing their temporary immigration protections in the U.S.
During Chavarría’s lengthy detention, agents seemed particularly interested in inspecting his electronic devices, including a personal cell phone and a district-issued tablet and laptop. He emphasized that while they could search personal files, they should respect student confidentiality laws regarding district-related files.
Chavarría stated that he ultimately allowed the agents to check his devices, under the condition that they would not access any work-related files.
Throughout the questioning, agents exhibited skepticism regarding his position as a school superintendent and his marriage to Cyrus Dudgeon, describing the situation as absurd.
“I don’t know how many married couples have to prove to the United States government that they are real,” he remarked.
While Chavarría was interrogated, Dudgeon was kept away from him, causing additional distress as Dudgeon felt uncertain about Chavarría’s situation.
Chavarría was ultimately released without any reasoning for his detention, and the two missed their connecting flight due to the incident. The following day, he learned that he had been removed from the Global Entry program, expressing apprehension about future travel to Nicaragua.
Nicole Mace, vice president of the Winooski School Board, expressed her outrage regarding Chavarría’s treatment, questioning the current state of the country.
“What is happening? It’s horrifying,” she stated.
image source from：bostonglobe
