ICE agents arrested the Indian national and alleged illegal-alien owner of Wallace’s Market, a gas station, convenience store, and restaurant in Friendship, on Saturday.
[RELATED: Border Patrol Nabs Four Indian, One Algerian National Attempting Illegal Crossing into Maine…]
A group of four ICE agents entered the market on Saturday and took Dhavalkumar Patel into custody.
Patel reportedly owns the business with his wife and has operated it since 2024.
According to the ICE Inmate Locator, Patel is currently being held in the Plymouth County Correctional Facility in Massachusetts.
Patel’s lawyer, Audrey Richardson, an attorney with Greater Boston Legal Services, told Maine Public that he was working the store’s cash register when immigration enforcement arrived.
Richardson said that the agents called Patel over to them and handcuffed him without immediately explaining why they were there or who they were.
She told the taxpayer-funded outlet that the agents had “no reason” to arrest Patel, though she conspicuously refused to disclose her client’s immigration status.
ICE provided more details on the arrest in its own statement to the outlet, explaining that Patel was allegedly arrested by Border Patrol on November 1, 2010, when he entered the country illegally, and is subject to a deportation order.
“He was released from custody on March 18, 2011, pending the outcome of his removal proceedings. He failed to show up for his immigration hearing and was ordered removed by a Justice Department immigration judge on August 8, 2011,” ICE said.
They reportedly affirmed that Patel will remain in ICE custody until he is removed from the U.S.
Richardson has already filed a challenge against the arrest in the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts in the form of a motion for habeas corpus, meaning Patel would be brought to court in person to defend himself.
U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani of Massachusetts issued an order hours after his arrest preventing Patel from being moved for 72 hours after her order was filed to give a judge time to review Richardson’s petition.
uh oh …………… here comes a flock a waa , waa’s ………………
Good!!! Every illegal alien deported is a positive benefit to America and all Americans! Those who encourage, enable, and protect illegal aliens are NOT Americans and should be prosecuted under RICO laws.
would someone please kick Audrey Richardson right between the pockets.
Went to Pemaquid a while back . Stopped at Riley’s Market in New Harbor . What a disappointment THAT was .
The “ forever anchor “ in that little town has all new foreign faces .
It’s evidently something that is happening all over Maine .
Maine ……The Way Life Used to Be .
“motion for habeas corpus, meaning Patel would be brought to court in person to defend himself.”
NO!
Latin for “present the body” habeas corpus is a motion for the judge to require whoever has custody of the corpus to present it in court in front of the judge.
The person having custody of the corpus has to then convinced the judge that he has the legal right to maintain custody of the corpus — or otherwise, the corpus goes free.
Patel has no obligation to defend himself, instead ICE has the obligation to convince the judge that they have the right to continue holding him. This is not a minor distinction.
“No reason to arrest him”. Famous last words. How STUPID can anyone get. He is here illegally, end of story, finished business.
Good, we need more ICE agents in Maine
That’s all they nabbed??
They should cruise to Lewiston on there way out of the Friendship area and take a detour around Augusta to see how many more they can pickup on there way to Lewiston!
Hey just saying
I thought it was a great idea!
If they’re really feeling lucky after Lewiston they could run up to Bangor before leaving Maine. Check out the scenery.
Too bad!
Send him back to the Paki call center.
He was to be deported,why wait.Put his azz on a plane and send him.
ICE,Check out the store in Canaan,the motel as well.