A family in Toombs County, Georgia, has garnered community support, raising close to $15,000 for a high school student detained by ICE.

The money was raised through a GoFundMe as the family seeks answers and legal help.

“You must be perfect, or risk being separated from your loved ones,” stated Eduardo Delgado, the civic and advocacy coordinator at Migrant Equity Southeast.

Roberto Itzep-Caba was apprehended by police on his way to school for not fully stopping at a stop sign. Lyons Police Chief Wesley Walker mentioned that due to Caba admitting he lacked a driver’s license, they had to process his fingerprints.

“Driving while unlicensed is treated the same, basically, as driving on a suspended driver’s license,” said Walker.

Walker noted this situation differs from merely forgetting your ID at home, explaining that they discovered an ICE hold-order for Caba because he missed an immigration court date assigned to him when he was just 8 years old.

“We’re required by law now to notify ICE,” said Walker.

Delgado expressed, “Law enforcement officials are in effect compelled to conduct immigration tasks, which simultaneously erodes community trust in them.”

A family advocate explained they are pursuing legal assistance, emphasizing that Caba was both a good student and an athlete, and their primary goal is to bring him home.

“He had his ninth birthday here,” said Delgado. “He’s lived in our community for almost a decade and if he were to be returned to Guatemala he wouldn’t know how to live there. He’s been raised in Toombs County.”

The family was able to speak with Caba a week after his arrest.