A 22-year-old Army National Guard member says his family has been thrown into turmoil after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained his stepfather on Staten Island this week.

“Just one month after completing my first year of service, my life changed drastically,” said Jesus, who is not sharing his last name over fear of retribution. “This Tuesday, my father was detained. My stepfather who has raised me for as long as I can remember and who I consider my true father.”

What You Need To Know

A 22-year-old Army National Guard member says ICE detained his undocumented stepfather on Staten Island this week

The family says the arrest happened around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday in Port Richmond

Advocates say the incident is fueling fear among immigrant communities on Staten Island

ICE has not yet responded to NY1’s request for comment

Jesus said his 41-year-old stepfather attended his graduation last year. Now, he said, his stepfather is being held in an ICE detention facility.

“How could this happen to my father in the same country I proudly serve,” he said.

According to Jesus, his father’s co-worker witnessed ICE agents arrest him while he was en route to work Tuesday morning on Staten Island. An attorney for the family said the arrest happened around 6:30 a.m. in Port Richmond.

The co-worker notified Jesus’ sister — a high school student — who then reached out to two soldiers for help, including the executive director of La Colmena, a Staten Island nonprofit that advocates for immigrant communities.

“Soldiers should not be worried about their families being detained, being kidnapped by ICE,” said Yesenia Mata, La Colmena’s executive director.

“It’s resulting in our loved ones, our community members feeling like they can’t leave their home and go to mass,” said Rev. Karen Pershing of the Reformed Church of Prince Bay. “They can’t get health services. They can’t get their medicine.”

Jesus said he is a U.S. citizen, but his stepfather is undocumented. He said his father came to the U.S. from Mexico in the early 2000s and has no criminal record.

Jesus credited his parents for encouraging him to join the military as a way to give back to the country that supported his family.

“This situation, it shocked us,” he said. “We didn’t expect this to happen to us.”

“We felt a lot of emotions: anger, disbelief,” he said.

NY1 reached out to ICE for comment and is still waiting to hear back.

Jesus said his stepfather has upcoming court dates tied to his immigration status and that the family knows where he is being detained.