KEYRIS MANZANARES: It was a morning like any other for 17-year-old Guillermo as he waited for his school bus, until his father, Silviano Mora Vera, a lawful immigrant, was taken right in front of him.

GUILLERMO: That's when I ran over there.

I dropped my book bag.

I asked my mom, ‘what was going on, what's going on?

And she was like, ‘your dad... And I was like, ‘what?

And then that's when I ran towards them.

And I was like, ‘who are you guys?

Are you all SWAT?

Are you all ICE?

KEYRIS MANZANARES: The men, Guillermo says, identified themselves as agents with US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.

ICE claims Mora Vera is here illegally, but his family, who asked us to conceal their identities, say he's in the country with a rare U Visa given to immigrants who are victims of crimes or who cooperate with law enforcement during investigations.

Searching for answers, Guillermo says he took his father's paperwork to the Richmond ICE field office, but it didn't help.

GUILLERMO: So its just like, you know, in this country, it's like if we do it the right way, we still get punished.

If we do the wrong way, we still get punished.

So it's just like, ‘well, what do you all want us to do?

Like, it doesn't make sense.

Like, it feels like there isn't really an American dream anymore.

KEYRIS MANZANARES: His dad is now being held at Farmville Detention Center, along with an increasing number of detainees.

Across Virginia, ICE activity has spiked since January 2025, with over 4,000 arrests leaving families like Mora Vera's fearful.

(Speaking Spanish) KEYRIS MANZANARES: The family is in limbo waiting to see whatll happen.

Mora Vera is scheduled for an immigration court hearing in late October.

For VPM News, Keyris Manzanares.