Erik Payán Ibarra, a Colony Ridge business owner detained in an immigration operation, has been released after posting a $5,000 bond. A local immigration attorney, Silvia Mintz, who represented Payán, told Houston Public Media that the decision came after a recent bond hearing where it was determined that Payán was not a flight risk. Payán has lived in the Houston area for over 20 years, is a father and grandfather, and operates Payán Tire Shop. He was first arrested during an ICE operation on February 24.

The arrest occurred the same day Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced an immigration enforcement initiative in the community. The operation led to 118 detentions with ICE, citing criminal charges that ranged from theft to drug offenses; however, Payán's legal representation has reiterated that he holds no criminal record beyond his undocumented status in the U.S. Payán's case was complicated, further by an ongoing investigation into his business by Homeland Security Investigations, as Houston Public Media reports.

According to Houston Public Media, the community came together to contribute to Payán's bond. Alejandrina Morales Payán, his wife, was overjoyed with his release stating, "He's the provider of the house, he's the one that works. He's the one who moves everything forward." The bond release allows Payán, who is the primary caregiver to two daughters one of whom is wheelchair-bound and a 2-year-old granddaughter recently recovering from open-heart surgery, to return home.

Mintz is currently working on a cancellation of removal to stop Payán's deportation, emphasizing his deep ties to the community, and lack of criminal history to bolster his case for staying in the United States. "Mr. Payán is not a criminal," Mintz said, according to KHOU,"And most of the people who were detained in Colony Ridge don't have any criminal record." The focus now shifts to Payán's future court hearings, as he seeks to secure his legal status in the country where he has built his life and raised his family.