A University of Wisconsin pharmacy student who was arrested
last week and faces deportation was released Tuesday afternoon and is at her
parents’ house in Milwaukee.

Tope Awe, 22, and her brother Gbenga Awe were arrested
Thursday when the Awe family was summoned to the U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement Office in Milwaukee.

Sam Awe, Tope’s father, said Tope and Gbenga arrived in
their home around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. He added the family was enjoying alone
time to pray in gratitude for his son and daughter’s release and would not
provide further comment.

According to UW School of Pharmacy Dean Jeanette Roberts,
the release was made possible through the office of Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis.,
though the “overall resolution remains temporary in nature, pending additional
legal steps.”

“This is just what we were hoping to accomplish in the short
run to allow Tope to return to school for this semester and, hopefully,
beyond,” Roberts said in a statement. “Thanks to all for your wisdom, legal
guidance, and plain old positive energy and hard work. It all made a
difference.”

According to ICE spokesperson Gail Montenegro, the family
has had multiple opportunities to have their case heard in immigration court,
but their appeals have been repeatedly denied.

Tope Awe and her family have lived in the country since 1989
and were granted a stay of deportation in 2003 due to Tope’s father’s kidney
problems.

“They were also granted relief so the family could address
the father’s health issues,” Montenegro said in a statement. “However, the
family has refused to comply with U.S. immigration laws and with the
arrangements they had repeatedly agreed to.”

The family was notified they were required to make arrangements
to depart from the U.S. but failed to make contact with ICE after July 2004 and
remained in the country illegally, Montenegro said.

Tope and Gbenga Awe were arrested March 27 as immigration
fugitives. They are required to wear monitoring bracelets on their ankles and
to report to ICE periodically while they await travel documents for their
return to Nigeria, Montenegro added.

UW senior Selam Zewdie, who was involved in organizing a
protest and gathering signatures in support of Tope Awe, said though she’s been
released, the case is not over.

“The fight still has to go on for her to finish her
education here,” Zewdie added. “But for the students who have worked on her
behalf, we are extremely delighted and very thankful for everybody who came out
and supported her to be allowed to be released to come back home and continue
her education while she continues to fight in her legal procedure.”

Sam Awe said Tope is doing well and will be back in Madison
today and should attend classes regularly.

“Thank you all the supporters in Madison, and
God would bless everyone of you,” he added.