Update: Fundraising organizers have released more updates regarding Ludovic's court appearance this week, which has been added to the story below. If you're in the United States or even other places around the world, it's very difficult to avoid any news or discourse surrounding the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, but right now the impact is hitting a lot closer to home for all of us. Longtime Fighting Game Community member THG|Ludovic Mbock has reportedly been detained by ICE in the United States. Update: 3/13 Ludovic finally had his court appearance this week, and it seems he'll be coming home soon. Organizers say the judge granted Lud a very low bond though it doesn't sound like he's been released just yet. PAR|FemShep shared some additional information that Mbock has another court hearing scheduled for May. You can find the latest update from the fundraising organizers below. "Ludovic has been granted a very low bond!" "Thank you so much for all of the supporters. We had around 20 people in the court room and over 20 more supporting online. The judge was clearly moved. Everything he said was in favor of Ludovic." "We could not have done this all without you! We will update once he is back home." BREAKING: WE DID IT!!! LUDOVIC IS COMING HOME!!!The judge, clearly moved by 20 people turning up in person alongside 20 online, ruled entirely in Lud’s favor with low bond.Update to come when he is home. The team is optimistic about his hearing in May.#FREELUD pic.twitter.com/8DAXhkxzBU— PAR | BSAS | Fem!Shep (@FemShepFGC) March 13, 2026 Update: 2/27 New reports shed more light on Ludovic's detainment, court proceedings and immigration status (the links for which can be found in the GoFundMe update below). Mbock was reportedly detained by ICE after he went to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Baltimore field office to renew his work permit on February 17. Lud is said to have emigrated to the United States with his family in 2002 when he was approximately 16 years old. According to court documents from WUSA9's report, Mbock had "a long-standing removal order, which resulted from a grant of voluntary departure in 2005," that was eventually converted to a removal order. Despite that, Ludovic had reportedly completed yearly check-ins with the United States government and renewed his work permit without issue "for decades" according to his family. Mbock has no criminal history. "We didn't think this would happen to someone complying with the processes that were told to him," said friend Nikhil Delahaye via WUSA9. "We said we could take this moment and panic or really step up to see how we could help him." His family is concerned for his safety if Lud were to be deported to Cameroon as an openly gay man in a country where same-sex relationships are illegal and can result in prison time. "Cameroon is nowhere near like America, where being homosexual, queer, anything is okay. There are people in our family who still don't accept it," said Ludovic's sister Diane Sohna. "You can go to jail, you get beat up, you can even get killed. We know stories of that." According to fundraising updates, Mbock's attorney entered an appearance in court ahead of a key hearing where a judge set requirements that, if not met by the government, should result in Lud's release being ordered. The government is reportedly going to formally present its case to the judge next week, which should indicate how things will proceed. Ludovic's fundraising campaign has now raised over $96,000 of its current $100,000 goal from over 1,700 donations. A Discord server has been established for people to help in the effort to support Lud, which can also be found in a below link. "Update: 2/26 at 8 a.m." "Hi everyone, some press was released today on aftermath.site and WUSA9, please help with engagement and spreading the word. We expect a few more things to roll out in the next week." "What's next? Ludovic's lawyer is meeting with MD officials to discuss the poor conditions Ludovic was subjected to in the Baltimore detention facility." "Next week the government will formally present its case to the judge. We are continuing to share Discord messages with Ludovic from his supporters." "Things seems to be slowing down, hopefully things will continue to progress with less of the chaos we saw last week." "Thank you again for all of your support." "-Team Ludovic" "Update: 2/25 at 9 p.m. ET" "Thank you all for your continued support. Every donation, share, and message means the world to Ludovic and everyone fighting for him." "Ludovic's Status and Legal Update: Ludovic is still detained in a facility in South Georgia and has made good use of the phone and video calls available to stay connected to family and friends. We continue to closely monitor his health and well-being and gather as much information as possible to ensure he's being treated fairly." "Today Ludovic's attorney formally entered an appearance in court ahead of a key hearing next week. In doing so, the judge set requirements that, if not met, will result in Ludovic's immediate release being ordered. We remain hopeful and encouraged by the progress being made. We will share updates from next week's hearing as soon as we have them." "Press: Ludovic's family and key supporters have been interviewed by multiple publications this week and we expect those articles to begin publishing this week and into next week. We are continuing to engage the press and are in contact with additional reporters and outlets. When those articles go live we will share them here. Please help amplify them by sharing widely within your networks." "As always, the GoFundMe remains open. The legal road ahead is uncertain and your continued support gives Ludovic and his family the foundation they need to see this through." "Stay strong. We WILL get him home." "-Team Ludovic" "Update: 2/24 at 10 p.m." "One week ago today Ludovic was detained. Today he was able to talk with his lawyer for the very first time. Shocking that it took this long, and I can't even imagine how long he would have had to wait without the tremendous efforts of everyone who has been supporting him." "When I put this fundraiser together I was hoping for $16,000 because that would at least get the first round of legal fees taken care of so that the lawyer would start working on everything. With all of your generous support we smashed through that early goal in hours. We have been able to expand the scope of the our help for Ludovic and his family to cover all of his current expenses and still have some left over to fund future legal costs, which can be immense if things get dragged out, and to give Ludovic a solid foundation to put his life back together which he will desperately need after this ordeal. Since we have no idea how long or expensive this fight will be, we will keep the fundraiser open for the foreseeable future. But please know that all of your support has already made a world of difference." "Probably even more amazing has been the outpouring of emotional support from so many people. It has been great hearing from everyone on discord and social media. Truly everyone that met Ludovic cherishes those experiences." "What's next? Tomorrow Ludovic's lawyer will be in front of the judge so we should have an update on how that goes in the evening. Please stay tuned." "We are also expecting some press coverage to be released very soon. Please help spread any articles or posts about Ludovic! #freelud" "- David and Team Ludovic" "Update: 2/23 at 10 p.m. ET" "Thank you for your continued support of Ludovic and his fight for justice. We continue to share with him how so many are rallying around him and know it helps keep his spirits high." "There aren't any major updates to report but we want to keep you informed. Ludovic remains in Georgia and we are still hopeful for progress early this week. He has been able to stay in touch with friends and family and your support continues to lift his spirits." "His lawyers will continue advocating for his release and will also be formally reopening his case. We will share updates as soon as we have them." "In the meantime, we have set up a Discord server where supporters can connect, share ideas, and post messages that we will relay to Ludovic directly. It is a space to stay informed and show him he is not alone." "If the Discord link does not work, follow Ludovic's Instagram account [@LudThinks] and send a message there. We are monitoring his account and can provide a link to the Discord." "Stay strong and stay safe. We WILL get him home." "- Team Ludovic" "Update: 2/22 at 11 p.m." "Hey everyone, Ludovic is still in Georgia, but we are hopeful that early this week we will make some progress in getting him back and released. Today he was able to make a few more calls to friends and family. It has been great to hear from him but this has clear been a rough experience for him and everyone else in ICE custody." "The team had finished putting together a discord server where people can come say hi, offer ideas or support, and post messages we will relay to Ludovic when we can talk to him on the phone. For now we are going to try passing a link to those that ask instead of publicly posting it. Message me here and I will get you a link." "As stated before, we are starting a media push so please let us know if you have any connections or ideas to share." "What's next? The lawyers will be in the courts early next week presenting evidence that ICE ignored a court order and moved Ludovic after the signed order was delivered. They will also be formally reopening his old case and requesting bond while the case is ongoing." "Stay strong and stay safe, we WILL get him home! #freelud" "- Team Ludovic" "Update: 2/21 at 6 p.m. ET" "Thank you for your continued support of Ludovic and his fight for justice. We continue to share with him how so many are rallying around him and know it helps keep his spirits high." "Ludovic's Status: ICE has moved Ludovic again. Friday night around 10pm, he and other detainees at the Louisiana facility were placed in chains and told they were being moved elsewhere. Ludovic and others were in chains from 10pm to 5am when they were finally loaded onto a flight. Ludovic is currently at an ICE facility in Georgia. Similar to the Louisiana move, his lawyers were not properly notified. Despite this, Ludovic is still in good spirits and is finding humor in the absurdity of it all. His close friends and family continue to remain in contact with him as much as possible." "What We Know: Ludovic's Maryland attorney filed a Habeas Corpus while he was still in Maryland. However, ICE failed to properly communicate this to other states, meaning it was not enforced when he was moved to Louisiana or Georgia. The Habeas Corpus should prevent him from being relocated, but without proper communication between ICE facilities across states, it is not being honored." "Ludovic and others have now been moved twice in 3 days. We know this is ICE's attempt to break their spirits and they are being targeted. Ludovic and the others who were picked up from Maryland, moved to Louisiana and now moved to Georgia, are people who are fighting and advocating for themselves and did NOT agree to deportation. Knowing this only gives us fuel to fight even harder for Ludovic's release." "What Happens Next: We previously decided to hold off on media engagement. After careful consideration with his legal team, we believe now is the right time to move forward. Next week, Ludovic's close friends supporting his release will coordinate a media push to amplify his story. A critical piece of our media engagement will be choosing the best outlets and reporters to share his story with the appropriate care and empathy. We will continue to provide daily updates here and advocate for Ludovic's release." "Thanks for your support –Team Ludovic" "Update: 2/20 at 9 p.m. ET " "Hello everyone lots of updates today!" "First of thank you so much for to everyone for the contributions! we were able to fund all his immediate legal needs including filing a habeus here in Maryland, securing a secondary lawyer in Louisiana where he is currently held, and file to reopen his previous asylum case. After talking to several lawyers it seems like all the planned legal actions are on solid legal ground. We are continuing to raise additional funds because it is anticipated that many more legal expenses will come up as the government responds." "Ludovic is currently being held in Louisiana (despite a court order saying he was supposed to stay in MD). A few family and close friends have been able to speak with him and despite everything which is clearly weighing on him, he is still carrying on with a positive spirit. It probably doesn't surprise anyone who knows him, but Ludovic has already found support and friendship with other folks in the same position as him. We were able to tell him about the Go Fund Me and he was blown away. It was the first deep genuine joy and laughter he has expressed during this whole ordeal. Thank all of you again for making that possible!" "I have received many messages offering support. We are putting together a space in discord where all of Ludovic's supporters can gather to share stories and ideas. Hopefully I will have a link to share later this weekend." "As always keep spreading the word. Stay safe and stay strong. Thank you again to all you wonderful people, I would be lost in despair without you!" "-David" Fundraising organizer Kristen Starks has shared a third update on the situation, which can be viewed below, and PAR|FemShep has shared resources and information for Maryland residents to contact their elected officials. "Update: 2/19 at 10 p.m. ET: Thank you for your continued support and advocacy for Ludovic's release. It's beautiful to see how loved and supported he is by his community." "Unfortunately, Ludovic was moved from Baltimore, MD to an ICE detention center in Louisiana. His lawyers were not properly notified of the transfer." "What happens next: His lawyers' top priorities will be fighting to bring him back home to Maryland. We remain hopeful for his safe return and appreciate everyone's support as we navigate the next steps." "How you can help: 1. Continue to donate and share Ludovic's story with your community. At this time we are NOT seeking media/news engagement but DO want as much community support as possible. 2. We are looking to leverage any connections Ludovic's community has with elected officials. If you can connect us with any public officials, please message us with that information." "ICE wants us to panic and lose faith. For Ludovic, we will not break and instead we will hold strong and out-organize." "Thanks for your support." Small Update: He spoke to one of his representatives last night at 2am and is aware of our help! He said the guards are rude (Shocker) but he's otherwise fine. He laughe