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Adriana Wade holds Johan Sandoval’s phone after it was broken by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Sandoval was detained on July 3.<\/p>\nThis article was updated at 6:45 p.m. to include a statement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.<\/p>\n
A Savannah State University baseball player was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Friday, apparently over questions about his student visa, according to friends and family.<\/p>\n
Johan Sandoval, a 22-year-old from the Dominican Republic, was detained by ICE in Clifton Park, New York. Sandoval was staying with his girlfriend, U.S. citizen Adriana Wade.<\/p>\n
Sandoval was leaving the apartment complex for the gym when ICE agents stopped him and blocked his car, Wade, 21, told The Current GA. When Sandoval ran back inside to tell Wade and her mother what was happening, ICE agents followed him to the front door.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Although Sandoval presented the immigration agents all his documents, Wade said the scene was heated. Sandoval lost his state ID, she said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were very angry and loud about his detainment and had broken his phone completely in the process,\u201d Wade said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adriana Wade holds Johan Sandoval’s phone after it was broken by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Sandoval was detained on July 3.<\/p>\n
Sandoval is currently being held in custody at ICE\u2019s Buffalo Service Processing Center in New York, according to the agency\u2019s online detainee locator system<\/a>, where he’s listed under his full name of Johan Efrain Sandoval Rodriguez. The Dominican student has managed to call Wade and his family members twice a day to confirm his wellbeing since he was detained, Wade said.<\/p>\n \u201cHe wants everyone to be strong for him and he said he\u2019s trying to be strong as well,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n A U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson wrote in an email statement to The Current GA that ICE arrested Sandoval during \u201ca targeted enforcement operation.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cSandoval Rodriguez first entered the U.S. on a nonimmigrant student visa in 2022. He subsequently failed to adhere to the requirements of his student visa, which was terminated in April 2025,” the spokesperson said. “As ICE officers executed the arrest of Sandoval-Rodriguez, he tried to flee on foot. ICE officers reacted with appropriate actions to complete the arrest without further incident.”<\/p>\n The spokesperson said Sandoval will remain in custody “pending removal proceedings,” the court process that determines whether he can remain in the United States.<\/p>\n Sandoval\u2019s sister Melissa, who started a GoFundMe campaign<\/a> for her brother\u2019s legal fees, wrote on GoFundMe that the family is working with Savannah State to help resolve the baseball player\u2019s case.\u00a0<\/p>\n A media representative from SSU\u2019s athletics department said they are still gathering information about the detainment and are unable to comment.<\/p>\n In a statement sent to WJCL 22 News<\/a>, Savannah State University President Dr. Jermaine Whirl said he has been in communication with Sandoval\u2019s family and immigration attorney.\u00a0<\/p>\n LeAndrea Mikell, SSU assistant vice president for government and community relations, wrote in an email statement to The Current that administrators \u201care unable to share information regarding current or former students due to federal privacy laws and university policy.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n At Savannah State, Sandoval was pursuing a bachelor’s of Business Administration in Management and was expected to graduate next year, according to his LinkedIn<\/a>. He also had a full athletic scholarship, according to One SSU<\/a>, an independent media and advocacy outlet for Savannah State students, alumni and supporters.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/thecurrentga.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/convert-1-1024x682.webp\")
Johan Sandoval. The 22-year-old baseball player was taken into custody on July 3 while staying in New York. Photo courtesy of Savannah State University Athletics.<\/p>\n