‘It’s not fair for him to be there’: Pooler man demands answers after ICE detains his spouse

POOLER, Ga. (WTOC) - A Pooler man is demanding answers after his husband was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during a routine check-in earlier this month, despite a past criminal charge that was later dismissed.

Nicholas Ryan said his husband, Brayan Guarin, was taken into custody Dec. 11 during a scheduled ICE appointment in Atlanta. Guarin, who is originally from Colombia, has lived in the United States since 2022 and had been complying with all immigration requirements, Ryan said.

On Wednesday morning, an immigration judge denied Guarin bond, ruling that he could not prove he was not a threat to the community, according to Ryan and the couple’s attorney. Guarin is currently being held at the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia.

“It’s not fair for him to be there,” Ryan said. “He belongs at home with me and our puppies.”

Ryan and Guarin were married in March. Guarin applied for asylum in 2023 and was granted a work permit, allowing him to legally work in the United States while his immigration case was pending.

In 2022, Guarin was arrested on a domestic violence charge in Jasper County, South Carolina. The charge was later dropped, and he was never indicted. Ryan said Guarin has had no legal issues since.

Over the past several years, Guarin attended all required ICE check-ins, and Ryan filed a petition on his behalf in an effort to help him obtain legal status.

According to the couple’s immigration attorney, Aimee Deverall of Deverall Immigration Law, the detention reflects the federal government’s increased focus on immigration enforcement.

Ryan said conditions inside the detention facility have made the situation even more difficult. He said Guarin told him that for several days after being detained, he slept on a mat on the floor because the facility was overcrowded.

“They didn’t have a bed for him,” Ryan said. “It’s not fair to him, and it’s not fair to anyone who’s in that facility.”

Despite the setback, Ryan said he remains hopeful his husband will be released.

“I told him not to worry,” Ryan said. “He’s going to be home, and I mean it. I’m bringing him home to me.”

ICE officials have not responded to multiple requests or comments from WTOC asking why the dismissed 2022 charge was flagged during Guarin’s recent check-in.