…released on US$7500 bond pending hearing on April 18
Despite attempts by Opposition politicians and supporters to cast blame on the Guyana Government, a United States (US) court has confirmed that controversial social media commentator Melissa Atwell-Holder, known as ‘Melly Mel,’ was arrested for overstaying her visitor’s visa in the US.
Atwell-Holder has been in detention for approximately two weeks after being taken into custody by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). On Friday, she appeared before Judge Mwangi Francis in Louisiana, where she was granted a bond of US$7,500. She will be released once the bond is posted.
Court documents reveal that Atwell-Holder, who married US citizen Paul Holder in 2022, had an ongoing application for residency, but it has not yet been fully processed. A representative for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that she was served with a Notice to Appear (NTA) due to her visa overstay. When asked if she was eligible for a waiver, the DHS representative responded negatively and requested additional documentation. The case has been adjourned to April 18.
Melissa Atwell-Holder, known as ‘Melly Mel’ in court on Friday
Atwell-Holder’s lawyer, Joyce Booth, argued that her client should be released on bond, emphasising that she has no criminal record, poses no threat to national security, and is not a flight risk.
Following the arrest of Atwell-Holder, key figures from Guyana’s parliamentary opposition—including Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton, Alliance for Change (AFC) leader Nigel Hughes, and opposition members Sherod Duncan, Coretta McDonald, and Cathy Hughes—staged a protest in Georgetown. The demonstrators alleged that the Government of Guyana played a role in her detention.
However, the Government of Guyana has strongly refuted these claims, emphasising that the US is a sovereign state that enforces its immigration laws independently.
Atwell-Holder had previously stated on her social media page that she is a US citizen. In a separate post, she had directed expletives at former US President Donald Trump.
Not a political issue
Guyana’s Attorney General (AG) and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, SC, had dismissed the opposition’s accusations, stating that Atwell-Holder’s detention is solely an immigration matter.
“The Government of Guyana did not arrest Melissa Atwell, nor is it detaining her,” Nandlall had said during his weekly programme Issues in the News. “They [the opposition] are protesting the Government of the United States, not the Government of Guyana.”
While Atwell-Holder faces legal battles in Guyana over allegations made on her social media platform, Nandlall clarified that these lawsuits have no bearing on her immigration status in the US.
Former People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) executive and attorney James Bond took to social media to warn against misinformation surrounding the case. “If ICE has you in custody, it has something to do with IMMIGRATION or CUSTOMS, not free speech, not corruption, and definitely not PPP, IRFAAN OR BHARRAT,” Bond had stated. He urged supporters to be honest about the situation rather than fueling political rhetoric.
Public Affairs Minister Kwame McCoy also condemned the opposition’s claims, labeling them as political grandstanding. “Melly Mel’s detention by ICE has no connection to the Government of Guyana. The case is being handled by US immigration authorities, and there is no evidence linking it to any action by our Government,” McCoy asserted.
