The federal government has officially dropped its deportation case against a man who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while delivering pizza to a military base in Brooklyn, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York confirmed to VICE News.Pablo Villavicencio, who lives in Long Island with his wife and two daughters, was arrested in June during a routine delivery to the Army base after a staff member decided he didn’t have adequate identification to enter the facility. While he obtained a day pass so he could enter the base, military officers discovered that Villavicencio had an active ICE warrant for his arrest, detained him, and called immigration officers to arrest him. They kept the pizza.The Legal Aid Society, which has represented Villavicencio since his arrest, says it will continue to represent him as he pursues legal residence in the United States.“We are glad that today the Federal Government fully withdrew their challenge to Mr. Villavicencio’s hard-won release from immigration detention and his opportunity to pursue lawful status. With Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, we will continue to represent Mr. Villavicencio, and work with him on securing status to remain in the United States with his family,” a spokesman for the Legal Aid Society said in a statement.Villavicencio ultimately spent 53 days in detention before a federal judge ordered in July that Villavicencio be discharged immediately. In the same ruling, the judge also prevented his deportation.
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The federal government appealed that ruling on Oct. 2 in an effort to once again detain and deport Villavicencio, before unexpectedly withdrawing the appeal three days later.Cover image: People hold up signs as they protest the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) and the recent detentions of illegal immigrants in Washington, DC on July 16, 2018. - The coalition of activists called on the government to abolish ICE. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/Getty Images)