ATLANTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A Decatur father of two is in ICE custody in south Georgia after being arrested at his home last month, and students at Decatur High School have raised nearly $20,000 to support his family.

Angel Ivan Chavez Salas arrived in the United States in 2016 lawfully on a visa, then applied for asylum, fleeing political persecution in Peru, according to his lawyer, Peter Isbister, of Diaz and Gaeta Law. Isbister said Angel has regularly reported for interview dates but has never had a hearing with a judge.

Arrest at his home

Isbister said Angel does not have a criminal history and has worked as an HVAC technician to support his family. On Aug. 16, ICE agents arrived in front of his house and arrested him, Isbister said.

“When I spoke with Angel, at the end of our conversation he was in tears. This is exacting a human toll on this family,” Isbister said.

This summer, the White House pushed immigration officials to aim for 2,000 arrests each day, according to CNN. Isbister believes that quota is having deep impacts on communities like Decatur.

“This is what it looks like. It’s not out there somewhere else anymore. It’s here at home,” Isbister said.

Students organize fundraiser

Chavez Salas’ case has drawn attention in Decatur, with many calling for his release, including students.

Seventeen-year-old Samuel Stevens got a text from Chavez Salas’ son, who is a friend. Stevens, along with Miles Bryant, Jon Luka Temelkran and Elija Hall, organized an online fundraiser, where more than 300 people have donated nearly $20,000 to support Chavez Salas and his family.

“He texted me one day and was like, ‘I need help.’ So, I got together with everybody,” Stevens said.

“It definitely went up a lot faster than I expected,” Hall said of the amount raised.

“I think that older people, adults, definitely look down on us, kind of like, ‘Brain might not be fully developed,’ but I do think that we have a lot of say,” Bryant added.

It was Isbister’s daughter, a Decatur student, who told Isbister about Chaves Salas’ case.

“I wouldn’t normally reach out to a client, but I felt a little more motivated, a little more compelled to get involved in the case, because it’s a Decatur case and I live in Decatur,” said Isbister.

What’s next

Isbister said Angel is being held at the D. Ray James Processing Center in southeast Georgia. His next court date is expected in the next few days. If a judge grants bond, he can continue fighting his asylum case from home.

Atlanta News First reached out to ICE for comment on the arrest and the reasons for Chavez Salas’ detention. An ICE spokesperson has not responded.

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