Two teenage brothers from the Republic of Congo were arrested by federal immigration agents in Mississippi after a school transfer disrupted their student visa status. Israel Makoka, 18, and Max Makoka, 15, were detained while leaving for school and moved to separate facilities in Louisiana and Texas. Their arrest has shaken classmates and teachers at Hancock High School, where both were active students and basketball players.

The brothers had entered the United States legally to attend a private boarding school but later transferred to a local public high school. Their guardians, acting on legal advice, obtained court-approved guardianship before the move. However, the transfer invalidated their student visas because the public school was not authorized to host international students under that status, leaving them vulnerable to detention and possible deportation.

Their lawyer said the family tried to follow the law and is seeking their release while reapplying for student status. Supporters in the community describe the brothers as hardworking and compassionate, and many students have expressed distress over their sudden absence as the case moves forward.