ICE Threatened To Deport Texas Man To War Torn Country
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A Ukrainian man legally residing in Texas has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for over three months—despite holding lawful status and having no criminal convictions.
Pavlo Mykolayovych Zinkevych, 37, was arrested by Frisco Police around 2 a.m. on January 26, 2025, near the intersection of Preston Road and Eldorado Parkway—just three minutes from his home.
According to his fiancée, Liubov Abdrazakova, Zinkevych had been out with friends and was driving home when police stopped him for a minor traffic violation and suspected DWI. During a field sobriety test, officers asked him to balance on one leg—a task he failed due to a titanium plate in his leg from a 2019 injury. A breathalyzer test was later administered at the station.
The next morning, a judge set bond at $500 for a misdemeanor, which was promptly paid. But Zinkevych never came back home.
Pavlo Zinkevych (R) alongside his fiancée Liubov Abdrazakova (L).
Pavlo Zinkevych (R) alongside his fiancée Liubov Abdrazakova (L).
Supplied
Instead, ICE placed a hold on him. After a brief stop at the Dallas Field Office, he was transferred to the Bluebonnet Detention Facility in Anson, Texas, where he has remained since January 28, 2025.
Zinkevych lawfully entered the United States in 2022 under the Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) program and currently holds a valid I-94, a Social Security number, and has a pending application for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). However, his parole has since been revoked, his fiancée said.
Despite his legal status, his fiancée says ICE agents threatened to deport him to war-torn Ukraine, where his hometown lies just miles from the Russian border.
"Pavlo was woken up by ICE agents asking, 'Do you want to stay and fight your case or do you want to be deported to Ukraine?'" Abdrazakova told Newsweek in an exclusive statement.
"He believes ICE agents are financially incentivized to pursue deportations. They're trying to mentally break a person to get them to sign a deportation order," she claimed.
Pavlo Zinkevych (R) alongside his fiancée Liubov Abdrazakova (L).
Pavlo Zinkevych (R) alongside his fiancée Liubov Abdrazakova (L).
Supplied
Abdrazakova says his physical and mental health are deteriorating rapidly.
Inside Bluebonnet, he suffers from severe leg pain due to the titanium plate and dental issues from decaying teeth. According to his fiancée, detention staff have refused to treat him despite his private dental insurance. She also alleges he's been subjected to inhumane treatment, including being referred to by a bed number instead of his name, and has endured racist comments from staff.
The financial toll has also been significant. "His prolonged detention has caused severe financial hardship for both of us," Abdrazakova said. "He has numerous unpaid bills. His car is at risk of repossession, and we had to break our apartment lease. His credit score—something he worked hard to build—is now ruined."
"I am broken, empty, devastated, and angry," she continued. "We had been house hunting before his arrest. We planned to get married in May and start a family. This detention has destroyed everything he worked so hard for."
Newsweek has contacted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for comment via email but has not yet received a response.
The Bluebonnet Detention Facility previously made national headlines when Reuters published drone footage showing detainees in jumpsuits forming an SOS signal, waving to the camera, with one flashing a peace sign.
Since his detention, Zinkevych—who works as a fiber network contractor—has attended three immigration court hearings.
At his first hearing—a bond hearing on February 17, 2025—Immigration Judge Michael Pleters stated that he did not have jurisdiction to issue a bond, asserting that responsibility lies with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). "They [DHS] make mistakes all the time by saying it is the immigration judge's decision," Judge Pleters remarked during the hearing.
The second hearing, held on March 20, 2025, saw Zinkevych's attorney, Joseph Reina, argue that his client was being unlawfully detained and should be released. Immigration Judge Jessica Miles requested a follow-up hearing and asked Reina to submit a legal brief supporting that claim.
During the third hearing on April 3, 2025, after reviewing the brief, Judge Miles stated she believes that Zinkevych should not be detained. However, she emphasized that she lacked jurisdiction to order his release. Despite Zinkevych having a pending application for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and having established a prima facie case—meaning he is not currently deportable—DHS maintains that he is subject to removal.
DHS also retains sole authority over his bond and release, yet has remained unresponsive to multiple legal requests, according to his attorney. Judge Miles asked DHS council to reach out to USCIS and expedite TPS but no actions were taken by DHS
Zinkevych's next immigration hearing is scheduled for May 8, 2025.
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