Bond not granted yet as Utah man detained during green card interview

(SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, USA) A Utah husband and father, Jair Celis, was taken into custody by ICE agents during what his lawyers described as his final green card interview at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Salt Lake City in early December 2025, an arrest that local attorneys say is sending a chill through immigrant families who expected the appointment to be the last step before lawful permanent residence.

Case background and family details

Celis, 29, entered the United States 🇺🇸 legally on a tourist visa as a young teenager. He later married a U.S. citizen, Lexi Celis, and the couple have a child, according to his attorneys at Stowell Crayk PLLC.

Like many spouses of U.S. citizens who had a lawful entry but later fell out of status, Celis filed for adjustment of status using Form I-485, the application that can let a person apply for a green card from inside the United States 🇺🇸 based on a qualifying family relationship. USCIS explains the adjustment process and the form on its official page for Form I-485.

Arrest at the USCIS interview

Instead of leaving the USCIS building with a decision or a request for more evidence, Celis was detained.

• His attorney, Andy Armstrong of Stowell Crayk PLLC, said ICE agents waited in another room and arrested him for a visa overstay on the day of the interview.
• The arrest reportedly happened without warning his wife in advance.
• Reports placed the detention around December 5–6, 2025, with accounts as of December 9, 2025 saying his legal team planned to ask an immigration judge for bond.
• The reports reviewed for this account did not confirm whether bond had been granted or that a hearing had resulted in release.

Armstrong said it was the first time his firm had seen someone taken into custody at a USCIS adjustment interview in this way. Co-counsel Adam Crayk described the arrest as lawful from an enforcement standpoint — because Celis was out of status — but unusually placed “right at the finish line.” That phrase has been repeated widely in Utah immigrant circles.

Transfer, family impact, and logistical consequences

Because Utah does not have an ICE detention center, Celis was moved to an ICE facility in Arizona, his lawyers said.

• This separated him from his spouse and child and made visitation more difficult.
• Transfers out of state can slow access to documents, phone calls, and in-person attorney meetings.
• Families often must scramble to locate a loved one and confirm where they are being held.

Armstrong said he expected a bond request to be looked at favorably because Celis has no criminal record and does not pose a danger to the community.

Bond in immigration court is not the same as bail in a criminal case; it is a custody decision based mainly on whether a person is a flight risk or a safety risk.

Armstrong also said he expected the removal case to be handled in Utah immigration court once proceedings were transferred back from Arizona.

DHS public statements and legal dispute

The Department of Homeland Security posted about the case on X and called Celis a “child abuser,” according to the attorneys.

• Celis’s lawyers strongly rejected that label as defamatory.
• They said the allegation referred to a consensual relationship when Celis and his then-girlfriend were both under 18.
• The lawyers said the matter was handled in juvenile court and was not a criminal conviction.
• They also said charging documents confirm he has no criminal history that should block green card approval.
• The attorneys said they had contacted law firms about a possible libel suit tied to DHS’s public claim.

This dispute has become part of the broader public fight around the case: supporters describe Celis as a family man caught in a harsh enforcement turn, while DHS framed the arrest as a public safety issue. Official messaging can shape community reaction quickly, especially when allegations are serious and spread online before lawyers can respond.

Broader concerns for applicants and attorneys

Celis’s detention has reignited a long-running worry among immigration attorneys: whether ICE will use routine USCIS appointments as a place to make arrests, especially for applicants who had a lawful entry but are currently out of status while waiting for a decision.

• Lawyers in Utah said the incident is prompting new warnings to clients about the risk of ICE presence at the Salt Lake City USCIS office.
• Some attorneys stressed that people with certain protections (such as DACA, Temporary Protected Status, or pending asylum claims) can be in different legal categories, but cautioned each case turns on its own facts.

At the same time, many adjustment applicants have few realistic options besides attending required appointments.

• Skipping an interview can lead to denial of the green card case.
• Denial can expose a person to removal proceedings anyway.

That leaves families feeling trapped: show up and risk an arrest, or stay away and risk losing the case they worked years to build.

Practical steps attorneys recommend

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the incident is likely to push more applicants to ask detailed questions before interviews about enforcement risk, custody planning, and legal options if ICE appears at a USCIS office.

Attorneys say families should consider taking these practical steps:

1. Keep copies of filings and receipts (including Form I-485 documentation).
2. Confirm and share case numbers and contact information with trusted family members.
3. Have a plan for childcare and bills if a spouse is suddenly detained.
4. Discuss enforcement risk with counsel ahead of the interview and plan responses if ICE appears.
5. Prepare for expedited communication with the attorney if an arrest occurs.

Legal and procedural context

Immigration lawyers following the case noted an important institutional point:

• DHS and ICE are both parts of DHS, but they serve different roles.
  • USCIS handles benefits like green cards.
  • ICE enforces immigration law, including arresting people who are removable.
• The Celis case shows how those lines can blur in real life for applicants who appear for a benefits interview expecting an administrative decision, not detention.

Current status and core facts

As of the latest reporting window in the source material, the central facts remain:

• A man who came legally, built a family, and sought a green card through Form I-485 was detained by ICE at his scheduled appointment in Salt Lake City.
• His lawyers said they would seek bond and still believe he can win his green card.
• DHS publicly attacked his character, prompting the attorneys to threaten legal action while insisting the underlying record shows no criminal history that should bar approval.

This case highlights how routine immigration processes can sometimes collide with enforcement actions, and it underscores the importance of legal preparedness and clear communication for applicants and families.