'My Daughters Need Their Dad:' Pizza Deliveryman's Wife Pleads For His Release From ICE Custody
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The wife of a pizza deliveryman who has been in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for more than a week made an emotional plea for his release Wednesday.
"These last two weeks have been really difficult for my family since my husband was detained by ICE when he was working," Sandra Chica said in a video shared by the Legal Aid Society. "This time without Pablo has been really painful for us, but your support has helped us to continue fighting so we can keep my family together."
WATCH: Sandra Chica calls on #ICE to release her husband, #PabloVillavicencio, from detention immediately in video statement. #FreePablo CC: @MaketheRoadNY @cmenchaca???????????? pic.twitter.com/C5FDLW6NTt
— The Legal Aid Society (@LegalAidNYC) June 13, 2018
Pablo Villavicencio, an undocumented immigrant from Ecuador was arrested while delivering pizza to Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn. A routine ID check revealed an outstanding warrant for deportation from 2010.
Over the weekend, a judge granted Villavincencio a temporary emergency stay, but he remains in ICE custody while he argues his case.
"I'm still heartbroken and very sad because he is detained. This is a petition for ICE to release him immediately," Chica said. "My daughters need their dad, we miss him a lot, and we want to continue fighting so he can be again with us."
Gov. Andrew Cuomo previously sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security supporting the stay and requesting Villavicencio be released.