A man arrested in Newton by immigration and customs enforcement officials on Sept. 10 was ordered to be immediately released on Tuesday by a district court judge in Rhode Island.

Hector Arnoldo Orellana-Lopez was detained and arrested by ICE outside of Newton District Court. Shortly after his arrest, Orellana-Lopez filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus, meaning a request for a court to determine whether his imprisonment was lawful. According to court documents, Rhode Island District Judge Melissa R. DuBose determined that Orellana-Lopez is entitled to a bond hearing, which can result in release from custody following payment of an amount determined by an immigration judge. 

As a result, DuBose ordered the government to immediately release Orellana-Lopez and return all of his property to him. The order included a note for him to be dropped off at ICE’s Boston Field Office in Burlington. DuBose additionally ordered the government to file a status report within 48 hours on whether or not Orellana-Lopez has been granted or denied his request for bond. 

Orellana-Lopez has no recorded serious criminal history. In response to questions about his background, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told the Newton Beacon that Orellana-Lopez was found by a court to have operated a motor vehicle with a suspended license and has one pending case for operating under the influence. 

“On September 10, 2026, law enforcement issued Hector Arnoldo Orellana-Lopez, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala, a warrant for his arrest. He is currently in ICE custody pending his hearing before an immigration judge,” the spokesperson said on Wednesday.  

Orellana-Lopez could not be reached for comment. The DHS did not confirm whether he had been released yet, but told the Beacon that “ICE follows all lawful court orders.” The DHS did not provide his age or reason for being outside the Newton District Court.

Orellana-Lopez entered the U.S. without legal documentation in August 2018, according to the DHS. The spokesperson said he was arrested by Customs and Border Patrol agents who issued an “expedited removal,” and that he later failed to appear before Citizenship and Immigration Services despite prior notice.

An acquaintance of Orellana-Lopez, who was driving a vehicle, was also briefly detained outside of City Hall on Sept. 10 before being let go.

The Sept. 10 arrest of Orellana-Lopez, whose identity was unreported at the time, sparked outcry across the city. Nearly 50 Newton North High School students conducted a walk-out protest the following day. The school committee for Newton Public Schools voted unanimously on Sept. 14 to approve the state’s new PROTECT Act, barring ICE from making arrests without a warrant or court order at courthouses, public schools, childcare centers, healthcare facilities and on state property.

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If you see federal immigration agents interacting with the public or have other information related to immigration enforcement activity in Newton, please email myehiya@newtonbeacon.org or message the username madhri.24 on Signal.