Lexington man detained by ICE after immigration appointment in Louisville

LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — A Lexington man is now in ICE custody after going to Louisville for an immigration appointment.

David Reyes Mejia’s wife, Rhonda Whaley, says a prior deportation order surfaced during that appointment, leaving his family with questions about what happens next. We looked into what a prior order can mean while someone is pursuing a new immigration case.

Reyes Mejia’s friends describe him as the kind of guy who seems to know just about everyone.

“He can tell a good story. He makes everyone laugh,” Whaley said.

But for more than a week now, Reyes Mejia hasn’t been home.

Whaley says everything changed during the couple’s immigration appointment in Louisville, when she says federal immigration officials delivered unexpected news.

“They told me that ICE was going to come and get him because he had the deportation order,” Whaley said.

Whaley says the order itself wasn’t a surprise. She says Reyes Mejia had been open about his immigration history as they worked through the process.

“We kind of anticipated something because he was honest with everything, following the paperwork. Like he knew that he had the deportation order, but he was deported,” Whaley said.

LEX News reached out to ICE about Reyes Mejia’s detention. After a couple of days, ICE responded saying, “We will research this and respond as soon as possible.”

As Whaley works to understand her husband’s case, we asked immigration attorney Dallin Lykins what a pending immigration application means when there’s already a prior removal order.

“Just having another immigration application out there pending doesn’t necessarily eradicate or erase a prior removal order,” Lykins said.

What happens next in Reyes Mejia’s case remains unclear. Lykins says immigration cases can vary depending on a person’s history, prior orders and what legal options may be available.

“It doesn’t necessarily mean deportation is imminent. They have the ability to request a bond hearing and potentially be released on a bond. They also have the ability to defend and file applications while they’re in custody,” Lykins said.

As Reyes Mejia’s family waits for answers, his friends are waiting for something else: to have him back home.

“I love you, man, and I hope you’re doing well. We’re all thinking about you and just really can’t wait to get you back home,” Eric Dickerson said.

ICE has not yet provided additional details about Reyes Mejia’s detention or what comes next in his case. We will update this story once the agency responds.

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