Guyanese social media activist Melissa ‘Melly Mel’ Atwell has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and is currently being held at the Richwood Correctional Center in Monroe, Louisiana.
Reports surfaced earlier Thursday that Atwell was taken in for questioning by U.S. authorities in New York, where she was said to be cooperating with investigators. However, it remains unclear why she was arrested or whether she faces any formal charges.
Atwell, who is also known by her married name, Melissa Ann Holder, was confirmed to be in ICE custody after a search on the agency’s online detainee locator system. She is reportedly awaiting an immigration hearing or a decision on her legal status in the U.S. Sources indicate that she had traveled to the U.S. on a visitor’s visa, but it is unclear whether her immigration status had changed.
According to ICE regulations, the agency has the authority to detain individuals who are subject to removal or undergoing removal proceedings. The ICE website states that “ICE lodges immigration detainers against certain aliens after federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies have taken them into custody.”
Alleged Guyanese government pressure
Atwell has been a vocal critic of the Guyanese government, frequently using her social media platforms to highlight alleged corruption within the administration. The Government of Guyana accused her of multiple cybercrimes related to her online posts, and in November 2024, Attorney General Anil Nandlall filed a GYD $100 million defamation lawsuit against her over statements she made on social media. The Attorney General had also announced plans to pursue legal action against Atwell both locally and internationally.
Atwell has long claimed that she and her family have been targeted by the Guyanese government due to her activism. She recently filed a police complaint in New York against social media commentator and Guyana government contractor Mikhail “Guyanese Critic” Rodrigues, accusing him of harassment after he allegedly published her home address online.
Vice President of Guyana, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, commented on the situation during a press conference on Thursday, stating that he had not been informed of Atwell’s arrest by any government agency. “We don’t obsess over Ms. Atwell,” Jagdeo said, adding that there are “many others far more extreme than her” and downplaying any potential impact of her activism.
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