Chester County newlywed detained by ICE after routine check-in

Дата публикации: 13-08-2026 17:11:15

A Chester County newlywed has spent more than a month in ICE custody after being detained during what his attorney described as a routine immigration check-in.
Nelson Contreras-Gelves, a 35-year-old Venezuelan asylum seeker, was detained one week after celebrating his wedding with friends and family in late June. His defense team says he had been following the immigration process and had no criminal record.
His wife, Ariel Whaley, is now fighting to bring him home.
“Oh, he’s like the most generous, kind, positive person. He’s always trying to make everybody happy in the room,” Whaley said.
The couple met in 2023 while volunteering at a nonprofit in Kennett Square. Contreras-Gelves had a work permit and was employed at Mighty Writers, according to his attorney.
Whaley said being separated from her husband has been difficult.
“Nelson is the one that I go to when I have a problem, or I go to to seek comfort. Now, I can’t,” Whaley said.
Lilah Thompson, a member of Contreras-Gelves’ defense team with the Defender Association of Philadelphia, said her office is seeing more detentions involving people with pending asylum cases who she says have been following the immigration process.
“Asylum is a legal process. And so when people are coming to the United States, they are allowed to seek asylum. And that is exactly what he did. He broke no rules,” Thompson said.
Thompson said the reason that was given for Nelson’s detention surprised her.
“So that is what the notification that he received says. It says that there are beds available,” Thompson said.
NBC10 contacted ICE directly about Contreras-Gelves’ case, including the reason for his detention, but had not received a response.
In a statement shared with NBC10 earlier this month, ICE said, “pending applications do not grant legal status.”
Contreras-Gelves was later denied bond, with insufficient community ties cited as the reason, according to his defense team. Thompson disputes that assessment.
“This is outrageous because he is married to a United States citizen who he has been together with for several years. He applied for asylum. He had a work permit. He was gainfully employed at Mighty Writers. He had tons of ties in the community over the last four years,” Thompson said.
As the legal battle continues, Whaley is trying to bring her husband home and draw attention to his case.
“It is criminals that they’re supposed to be detaining, which is not the case. They’re detaining people like my husband, a volunteer, a family man,” Whaley said.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication.

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