SALT LAKE CITY — The family of a Utah man is calling for his release after he was detained by ICE early Wednesday morning.

Lisandro Pantaleon Pacheco, 22, was picked up by ICE while on his way to work in Park City, according to his girlfriend Britney Xiques.

“I was tracking his location on his phone, we share our location with each other,” Xiques said, “and I saw him getting transported, and it just… the moment I saw him at the courthouse, where his location pinged there just… it just broke my heart.”

Xiques said she and Pantaleon Pacheco met at the University of Utah, and have been dating for the past two years. After learning about Pantaleon Pacheco’s detainment, she said she found out he bought an engagement ring for her and planned to propose soon.

Pantaleon Pacheco’s detainment caused confusion not only for Xiques, but also Pantaleon Pacheco’s attorney, Adam Crayk, who called ICE’s decision to detain him, “asinine.”

Crayk also pointed back to a statement previously made by President Donald Trump, where he pledged to deport, “the worst of the worst.”

“There is nothing more diametrically opposed to that statement than what just happened yesterday,” Crayk said. “What is going on right now…it makes no sense.”

“He deserves to be home,” Xiques said through tears.

Crayk said Pantaleon Pacheco has one traffic citation. Outside of that, he has no criminal record whatsoever. Crayk said Pantaleon Pacheco’s parents brought him to the U.S. from Mexico when he was just 1 year old.

“You’ve literally got a kid who has didn’t break the law coming here because you can’t, because he’s one,” said Crayk. “Last time I checked, one-year-olds don’t have the requisite mental intent to break our law.”

Pantaleon Pacheco is also one of the many immigrants waiting for a decision on their application for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA. It’s a program that allows immigrants brought to the U.S. as children to legally live and work in the U.S. so long as they follow local and federal laws.

Last year, the federal government stopped processing initial DACA requests, including Pantaleon Pacheco’s, following a ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Xiques is also a U.S. citizen, which means if she and Pantaleon Pacheco get married, he would be eligible to apply for a green card and eventually citizenship if he’s granted a green card.

During a news conference Thursday, the family said Pantaleon Pacheco was set to walk the stage during a University of Utah graduation on Friday.

KSL reached out to the University for comment. The university did not comment on his arrest and did not confirm his participation in the upcoming graduation ceremony.

“I can confirm Lisandro Pantaleon has been enrolled as a student at the University of Utah,” a spokesperson wrote.

An online fundraiser has been set up to aid the family in covering legal fees.

KSL has reached out to ICE for comment on Pantaleon Pacheco’s detainment, but we did not hear back before the publication of this article.

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Family calls for release of Utah man from ICE custody citing lack of criminal history - KSLTV.com