EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — For weeks, Jorge Luis Vilchez opened his restaurant to organizers collecting donations to send to his native Venezuela in the wake of the devastating earthquakes that rocked the country in June.Vilchez told KTSM 9 News days after the relief efforts began, he was doing his best to help provide a space for El Pasoans to bring goods, but also get to know a little more about Venezuelan culture and the people. El Pasoans rally support, aid for Venezuelan families devastated by earthquakes "By doing our part here, lending the restaurant as a collection center, I think we're contributing so that everyone here in the El Paso community can do their part, both our fellow Venezuelans and Mexicans, Colombians – everyone here in El Paso has come and done their part," he said.Vilchez has lived in the United States since 2019; he moved around looking for work until he called El Paso home. According to a family GoFundMe, he's also waiting on a decision on his asylum case.But last week, ICE agents detained Vilchez."On July 16, ICE arrested Jorge Luis Vilchez Lopez, an illegal alien from Venezuela. He entered the U.S. on September 22, 2019, on a visa and overstayed the visa, which expired on March 21, 2020. All of his claims will be heard by a Justice Department immigration judge, and he will receive full due process. This administration will not ignore the rule of law," a Department of Homeland Security Spokesman said.His family says Vilchez has worked hard, respected the law and contributed positively to his community in response to his detainment.Figures compiled by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), have shown immigration judges have ordered at a higher rate, almost triple since 2024. Those numbers coincide with a record number in "case closures."The latest numbers from TRAC indicate Mexican immigrants have seen the largest number of removals, but Venezuelan immigrants are seeing the largest surge among countries with the highest deportation volumes.Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.