Political activist and social commentator Melissa Ann Atwell, known on Facebook as “Melly Mel,” has been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
A search of ICE’s online detainee locator today confirmed that Atwell is being held at the Richwood Correctional Center in Louisiana under the surname “Holder,” which is understood to be her married name.
The reason for Atwell’s detention remains unclear. However, ICE is the US agency responsible for locating and detaining undocumented immigrants for deportation. The agency has deported thousands of individuals worldwide who were found to be in the US without proper documentation.
Atwell has been a controversial figure, using her social media platform to accuse the Guyanese government of corruption, among other allegations.
In response, the Guyana government has accused Atwell of committing serious cybercrimes, as her content has primarily targeted government officials and their close allies.
More recently, she was served with a lawsuit exceeding GY$100 million for allegedly defamatory content posted against Attorney General Anil Nandlall.
During a press conference on Thursday, Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo said that he was not informed of Atwell’s detention, adding that she is not a priority for the government. However, he noted that, like any other Guyanese citizen, Atwell would be welcomed back if deported from the US.
