Social media activist, Melissa Atwell Holder, popularly known as ‘Melly Mel’, will appear in-person before U.S. Judge Richard C. Jacobs on June 25, 2025, according to a source.
The Guyana Standard was informed that the Master Hearing will commence at 08:30hrs at 830 Pinehill Rd, Jena, LA 71342. The address has been listed as the La Salle Detention Facility, also as the Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center.
According to http://www.islawfirm.com, a Master Hearing is a preliminary hearing where key procedural matters are addressed. During the Master Hearing, the immigration judge, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the individual’s attorney (if they have one) discuss the case’s initial details. This includes identifying possible forms of relief (such as asylum, withholding of removal, or protection under the Convention Against Torture), entering pleadings, setting deadlines, determining the need for an interpreter, reviewing required documents, and scheduling the Individual Hearing.
Guyana Standard understands that no request for bail has been made as yet.
Meanwhile, a Go-Fund-Me campaign has been started in her name to assist with legal costs.
Atwell, who travelled to the United States last year, was taken into custody last week, but the reason(s) for her detention were not made public. Also, her legal status in the U.S. has not been clarified.
The activist has been outspoken against the governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic and has even been named respondent in a multimillion-dollar lawsuit filed by the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall.
