They Planned to Marry This Year. An ICE Arrest Changed Everything.

A Love Story Interrupted by Immigration Enforcement

Amanda Souza and Andres Paredes Morales were a young couple in the early stages of their relationship. Their connection began at Fogo de Chão, a steakhouse located in King of Prussia, where they both worked. Just months after meeting, Paredes Morales proposed to Souza, who was 23 at the time. He wanted to “do the right thing,” as Souza recalls, presenting her with a ring in front of her mother in their Norristown home in March.

Paredes Morales had promised Souza that they would be okay in the future and that he would help her. But what neither of them anticipated was that within a few months, Souza would find herself trying to assist Paredes Morales in escaping potential detention at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in central Pennsylvania.

On July 31, Paredes Morales was detained while working as a prep cook at District Taco, another restaurant near the King of Prussia Town Center. According to Souza, four plainclothes immigration agents approached him while he was in the kitchen. A video captured by a coworker shows Paredes Morales waving back as he is led out by the agents. The agents reportedly wanted to question him outside after receiving a complaint about his involvement in a crime.

Paredes Morales does not speak English, so he called Souza for help. She tried to get information from the agents, but they did not share details about the complaint or whether there was a warrant for his arrest. By the time she arrived at the restaurant, an agent told her that Paredes Morales had already been taken away.

Rising ICE Activity in Montgomery County

Paredes Morales’ detainment comes amid increased ICE activity in Montgomery County. Agents have been raiding local businesses and detaining undocumented workers for immigration violations. Norristown, the county seat, has become a hotspot for these operations, with community advocacy groups like MontCo Community Watch tracking at least 65 ICE arrests since May.

Across the country, ICE arrests have doubled since President Donald Trump took office, and the number of migrant detentions is at an all-time high, according to ICE data. Paredes Morales, a Venezuelan immigrant who arrived in 2024, has no criminal record in the U.S. or Venezuela and has been in the country for less than a year. He obtained a work authorization permit through humanitarian parole and is awaiting an immigration court hearing scheduled for May 2026 after applying for an extended visa this spring.

Despite having his permit on hand at the time of his arrest, Paredes Morales was taken into custody. Souza emphasized that he has always worked and lives with her, adding, “There’s no crime.”

A Life of Hard Work and Hope

Paredes Morales migrated to the U.S. seeking a better life and to escape the violence and government corruption in Venezuela. He took on two restaurant jobs near the bustling King of Prussia Mall, sending extra money back to his mother in Venezuela whenever possible. His work permit, issued by the Department of Homeland Security, expires on May 21, 2026, according to documents reviewed by The Inquirer.

Alexis Price, an immigration attorney based in Montgomery County representing Paredes Morales, said she could not disclose specific details about her client. However, when asked if there was a pending criminal case against him, she responded, “To my knowledge, there isn’t one.”

Scenarios like Paredes Morales’—where agents approach employees at their workplace under the guise of questioning them—are becoming more common in the area. Price described the situation as “a bit like the Wild West here,” noting that new challenges arise every day.

Public Opinion and Immigration Policies

Public opinion on the Trump administration’s immigration policies remains divided. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in June found that 78% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents supported the president’s approach, while only 9% of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters approved.

The administration has also removed deportation protections for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants, a decision upheld by the Supreme Court in May. Reports have emerged of Venezuelans being deported to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador despite most of them not having U.S. criminal convictions.

Souza expressed frustration with the way people are treated simply because of their nationality. “Just ’cause you’re from Venezuela, they associate you with a gang,” she said.

Legal Challenges and Emotional Struggles

After his arrest, Paredes Morales was transported to Philadelphia’s Federal Detention Center, where he has been able to speak with Souza over the phone. He is expected to be transferred to the Moshannon Valley Processing Center, the largest ICE detention center in the Northeast, which is about a four-hour drive from Norristown.

Conditions at the facility have been criticized by immigration justice advocates. A 2024 report by the Social Justice Lawyering Clinic at Temple University highlighted concerns about access to medical and mental healthcare, mistreatment by staff, and the use of racial slurs.

Only weeks ago, Paredes Morales was encouraging Souza, a graduate of Ursinus College, to pursue her dream of becoming a painter. Now, instead of planning their wedding, Souza is navigating the daunting process of supporting her fiancé through legal challenges.

In addition to hiring Price to handle his case, Souza launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for legal fees. As of Friday, the fundraiser had reached more than $6,700 of its $8,000 goal. “Andres deserves to be home, not behind bars,” she wrote. “He deserves justice, and I need him back. We need each other.”