Agents detain student walking dog

Benjamin Marcelo Guerrero-Cruz was walking his family’s dog in Van Nuys on a recent morning when he was taken into custody by federal immigration officials, according to authorities and published reports.

- BY HANNAH FRY AND HOWARD BLUME

BENJAMIN Guerrero-Cruz, 18, was detained by immigration agents who said he overstayed his visa.

Guerrero-Cruz, who turned 18 this month, was set to start his senior year at Reseda Charter High School on Thursday, according to a GoFundMe page set up to support his family and legal fees.

Instead, he's being held in Department of Homeland Security custody pending removal from the United States, the agency confirmed in statement to The Times on Friday.

“Benjamin Guerrero-Cruz, an illegal alien from Chile, overstayed his visa by more than two years, abusing the Visa Waiver Program under which he entered the United States, which required him to depart the United States on March 15, 2023,” the statement read.

The department did not immediately respond to an email from The Times for further comment.

When he was taken into custody Aug. 8, immigration agents tied his dog to a tree and then unclipped his collar, allowing the animal to run loose on Sepulveda Boulevard, according to the GoFundMe page.