Bethlehem Township father detained by ICE, family launches fundraiser

BETHLEHEM TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Abner Gonzalez, a Bethlehem Township resident, has been held in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody at Pike County Correctional Facility since July 9, leaving his 10-year-old daughter struggling to cope.

Angela Coppala, Gonzalez’s partner, said he was driving when ICE officers pulled him from his car and detained him without presenting a warrant or paperwork.

“Valentina and I were away at the time,” Coppala said. “Abner called us in a panic, saying ICE had been following him. They forced him out of his car and detained him on the spot. There was no warning, no paperwork, no knock at the door — just like that, he was gone.”

Coppala said their daughter, Valentina, who is starting middle school this year, remembers the call vividly.

“She asked me, ‘Mom, why are they taking my dad away from us?’ and I had no answer that could make sense to her,” Coppala said.

Under federal law, ICE officers may arrest and detain individuals using administrative warrants issued by the agency rather than judicial warrants signed by a judge. Coppala said no documents were presented to Gonzalez at the time of his arrest.

The family initially felt hope after an immigration judge approved bond for Gonzalez’s release. But the Department of Homeland Security blocked the order, keeping him in custody. Coppala said Gonzalez is undocumented.

“Valentina asks me almost every night, ‘When is Daddy coming home?’” Coppala said. “Sometimes she cries herself to sleep, and as her mother, it breaks me to not have an answer.”

The family launched a fundraiser to cover household bills, lawyer fees and therapy costs for Valentina. Coppala said the stress of the detention has left her unable to manage both her job and household, forcing her and her daughter to move in with relatives temporarily.

“This has been overwhelming,” she said. “I’m left to provide for Valentina on my own while covering household bills, lawyer fees and therapy for her. She’s even told me, ‘Mom, I just want Daddy back so our family can be normal again.’”

Community members have shared the fundraiser on social media, where it has drawn local support. Coppala said the donations are helping the family stay afloat while they continue to fight for Gonzalez’s release.

Becoming a legal permanent resident or U.S. citizen can be a lengthy and expensive process. The application fee for a green card is typically around $1,440, not including medical exams, legal representation or related expenses. Applying for U.S. citizenship costs an additional $760 in government fees, and many applicants also pay attorney costs.

ICE has not responded to requests for comment about why Gonzalez’s approved release was blocked.