NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
San Antonio, TX, April 26, 2026: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged a detainer against an Indian national accused of violently assaulting a mother and her three-year-old daughter in a public park, according to a statement released by the Department of Homeland Security on April 25.
Authorities identified the suspect as Atharva Vyas, 24, who was arrested by local police in San Antonio on April 18 following the incident. According to law enforcement reports cited in the release, Vyas allegedly attacked a woman, identified as Gabriella Perez, by grabbing her by the hair, causing her to drop her child. Police said the suspect then assaulted the child, resulting in facial injuries, bite marks, and the loss of two teeth.
ICE officials said Vyas had entered the United States in August 2023 on a student visa. Within three months, he was arrested on felony assault charges at the University of Texas campus, prompting university police to notify ICE. However, at the time, federal authorities did not revoke his visa or take enforcement action.
The agency said that in April 2025, the Trump Administration revoked Vyas’s F-1 student visa following his earlier arrest. After the April 18, 2026 incident, ICE lodged a detainer requesting that local authorities transfer him into federal custody once his criminal proceedings are complete.
In a statement, Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said the assault was “completely preventable” and criticized earlier decisions that allowed the suspect to remain in the country.
The case remains under investigation by local law enforcement, and Vyas is expected to face criminal charges in Texas before any potential immigration proceedings move forward.
