Related videos:
Lisandro Pantaleón Pacheco, a 22-year-old just two days away from receiving his university diploma, was detained by ICE agents last Tuesday, April 29, on S.R. 224, in Park City, Utah, while on his way to his first day of work.
The arrest took place around 5:30 in the morning during ICE operations in the Park City and Heber areas.
Pantaleón, a first-generation student at the University of Utah, was pursuing a bachelor's degree in parks, recreation, and tourism at the College of Health and had his graduation ceremony scheduled for Friday, May 1st.
His girlfriend, Britney Xiques, discovered the arrest by tracking the location of his phone after receiving no response to a morning message.
The young man's mother, Fidela Pacheco, brought him from Mexico to the United States irregularly when he was just one year old.
"It's not fair that they detained him," Pacheco publicly stated, expressing his outrage at the arrest of his son.
His lawyer, Adam Crayk, confirmed the arrest and pointed out that Pantaleón has no criminal record, only a traffic violation.
Crayk also indicated that the young man applied for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, but his application was put on hold due to the large number of pending requests, leaving him without immigration protection.
Regarding the irregular entry into the country, the lawyer was emphatic: "He didn't have that choice," referring to the fact that Pantaleón was a baby when he crossed the border.
Crayk also questioned whether the arrest was a result of racial profiling and warned that ICE now requires approval from Washington D.C. to grant bail or recognizance, which significantly complicates the release of the student.
The legal team filed a habeas corpus petition to try to release him from the county jail in Evanston, Wyoming, where he is being held under a temporary three-day contract with ICE.
The Park City community responded with a wave of solidarity: a fundraising campaign titled "Bring Lisandro Home for His Graduation" was launched, raising over $28,000 towards a goal of $30,000 to cover legal expenses.
The case also has a devastating personal dimension: Pantaleón had planned to propose to his girlfriend Britney Xiques right after the graduation ceremony.
The arrest of Pantaleón is part of a documented pattern of detentions of young immigrants without a criminal record during the immigration crackdown of the Trump administration, which has impacted students in several states across the country, including Massachusetts, Georgia, New York, and Connecticut.
Similar cases have been reported involving healthcare professionals: ICE arrested a Venezuelan doctor in Texas who had a valid work permit, and days later arrested a Venezuelan doctor along with her daughter at an airport in the same state.
The fear among migrants regarding ICE visits to businesses and public spaces has spread across the country since the second Trump administration intensified operations starting in January 2025.
The habeas corpus petition filed by Pantaleón's defense is awaiting a resolution, and his family is waiting for a decision that will determine whether he can regain his freedom before his diploma is awarded without him present.
Filed under: