Utah student who came to US as a 1-year-old detained by immigration officials

MILLCREEK — A Park City man seemingly close to securing a degree from the University of Utah is now in a Wyoming jail, detained by federal immigration agents.

Lisandro Pantaleon Pacheco, originally from Mexico, was picked up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents while on his way to work Wednesday in Park City, according to his girlfriend Britney Xiques. She's not sure why.

"I was tracking his location on his phone — we share our location with each other — and I saw him getting transported," Xiques said. His location ultimately pinged at an immigration facility in West Valley City, she went on, and "it just broke my heart."

Adam Crayk, Pantaleon's attorney, met with the media Thursday at his office in Millcreek to discuss the case. Xiques and more than 20 other friends and family members were on hand, crammed around a table.

"There's one traffic citation that we've been able to find. Is this high-profile enough to say, 'Look, this kid deserves to get out. He deserves not to be detained?'" Crayk said.

According to Xiques, her boyfriend of two years and fiance has been pursuing a bachelor's degree from the University of Utah in parks, tourism and recreation. She was trying to pin down his precise status at the U. while the university would only confirm Thursday that he has been enrolled there.

Officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement didn't immediately respond to a query Thursday seeking comment. But Crayk, in comments before Thursday's press conference, had strong words, calling the agency's decision to detain Pantaleon "asinine." His client, now 22, came to the United States from Mexico, brought by his parents when he was 1 year old, and as of Thursday afternoon, he was being held in a jail in Evanston, Wyoming.

Crayk also noted President Donald Trump's pledge to deport "the worst of the worst" as part of his ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration.

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

Xiques said she and Pantaleon, who grew up in Park City, met at the U. and have been dating for the past two years. After learning about her boyfriend's detainment, she found out he bought an engagement ring and had planned to propose after receiving his diploma.

"He deserves to be home," Xiques said through tears.

Pantaleon had filed an application during the administration of President Joe Biden to lawfully stay and work in the country under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. The program, geared to younger immigrants brought to the country by their parents, was implemented during President Barack Obama's tenure and is facing a legal challenge under Trump.

Moreover, the federal government stopped processing new DACA requests following a ruling from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals; thus, Pantaleon is regarded as "undocumented" by the Trump administration, according to Crayk.

Before Trump took office, Pantaleon would have had more options to vie for a means to lawfully remain in the country since he was brought by his parents as a young child and has a clean record. At any rate, Crayk remains optimistic, noting that Pantaleon largely fits the profile of detained immigrants who have been released of late amid Trump's immigration crackdown after filing habeus corpus cases in immigration courts to challenge their detentions.

"Most federal judges say you cannot detain mandatorily somebody like that," he said. "That's illegal, you can't do that without due process. Whether they're a citizen, resident or whatever status they may have, you can't do that."

Xiques is a U.S. citizen, which means if and when she and Pantaleon marry, he could be eligible to apply for legal permanent residency and eventually U.S. citizenship. Regardless of his migratory status, though, she lauded his attributes.

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"Anyone in this room can tell you how incredible he is, the kindest person you will ever meet. One conversation with him, and you just you see the brightness he really brings in everyone's lives," she said. "He's so educated. He's always been so devoted in school. He attends church regularly with his parents. He's such a good son."

Crayk stressed Pantaleon's ties to the United States, having been here since he was a year old. "Doesn't know Mexico. Doesn't even remember even a minute of being in Mexico. Couldn't even tell you what Mexico is like, other than what he's seen in pictures," he said.

Nevertheless, Xiques and other family members remain worried and nervous, even if Pantaleon seemed in good spirits when she spoke with him by phone Thursday morning.

"He means the world to me. He means the world to all of us here in this room, and we're praying for him," she said.

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