Vigil held for man taken to detention center by immigration officials
NORRISTOWN,Pa. (WPVI) -- A woman from Haverford, Delaware County says immigration officials have taken her husband to a detention center.
Family and friends held a vigil Saturday night for 27-year-old Jonatan Palacios.
It happened at the Central Presbyterian church in Norristown, Montgomery County.
His wife Lillie Williams says Federal Immigration's and Customs Enforcement agents arrested Palacios outside their Haverford apartment Thursday.
He now faces deportation back to Honduras.
Palacios came here as an unaccompanied minor when he was 16-years-old and he missed a hearing in Philadelphia.
"I asked the agents what was happening, did they have a warrant? They showed me a prior order from when he was a teen when he missed a court date, and they said they had permission to take him because of that," said Williams.
When they married two years ago, the couple of seven years began working with an immigration attorney to change his status. In October, Williams says they filed a petition.
Williams says she is working on a petition to reopen her husband's case so that he can get a stay of removal and bond hearing.
In the meantime he remains in custody.
"Is he being treated fairly? He is such a sweet person, I can't imagine him being in a detention center," said Williams.
Williams says her husband has a job and is a student at Delaware Community College with a 4.0 average.
She is urging family and friends to reach out to Congressman Dwight Evans and Senator Bob Casey.
Senator Casey's office says it has been in touch with the family.
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