Spectrum News’ Ben Nandy visited with detained immigrant Juan Carlos Alonzo Vasquez, who is awaiting a court date in federal immigration court, to learn more about Vasquez’s encounter with ICE officers who picked him up last Wednesday.

The interview was conducted mainly in Spanish, without a camera or notepad.

Vasquez said he illegally crossed the Mexico/California border in 2008 to find work and possibly continue his studies. He said that because of conflict over teacher strikes that pitted various groups against the Mexican government in the state of Oaxaca in 2006, several schools were damaged and records were lost, leaving several students without proper diplomas to seek work or higher education opportunities.

An opposition group occupied the capitol city of Oaxaca for seven months and several people were killed. Vasquez said that was what made him decide to come to the United States at age 19.

After settling in the U.S., he had no run-ins with the law until a DWI in 2012, Vasquez said. Court records in Ulster County showed no felonies on Vasquez’s record, and his profile with Kingston Police showed one traffic offense and one call for service.

The traffic offense was what landed Vasquez in probation, requiring regular visits to the probation office on Kingston’s Broadway, across from The Anchor, where he had been working as the head grill chef for two years. He said his probation required him to stay out of trouble, report to his probation officer regularly and seek work.

On Wednesday, July 18, when he arrived to what he thought would be a standard check-in at the probation office, his probation officer informed him two ICE officers had just arrived asking to see Vasquez.

"My probation officer said they were there," Vasquez said. "I was like 'What?' I went out to see them and they said they were from ICE. They had me put my hands on the wall and searched me. Then they brought me to a place in Newburgh. Then they brought me here. ... I am still not entirely sure the reason why I am here."

Vasquez said that on Wednesday, an ICE officer informed him he would speak to court officials who would tell him when he is due to appear before a judge in immigration court. That court date could come in six or seven weeks, Vasquez said.

Vasquez’s boss, The Anchor co-owner Brandy Walters, has been helping Vasquez find an attorney to explore his legal options and possibly expedite the court process.

"I am scared and I am happy," Vasquez said toward the end of the hour-long face-to-face meeting. "I am scared because ... I don’t know what’s going to happen with me. I am happy because Brandy and the rest at The Anchor are looking out for me."

Vasquez has had minimal contact with his family in Mexico. He said he had talked to his father on the day before he was detained. He said he asked other friends and family not to tell his father about his detention, but eventually he will tell his father if his detention carries on for several months.