A routine court date in Delaware County turned into a federal takedown when a 25-year-old Lansdowne man accused in an Upper Darby assault was taken into custody by ICE officers during his hearing, officials said. Jonathan Ricardo Salinas-Vasquez was arrested on Monday, July 6, and remains in ICE custody after the agency lodged a detainer. The arrest comes out of an investigation into a November fight that left another man with serious cuts and in the hospital.
ICE Says Arrest Went Down Inside Delco Court
ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations in Philadelphia said officers picked up Salinas-Vasquez at a Delaware County court appearance, noting that a detainer had already been filed before he showed up. The agency describes the 25-year-old as an Ecuadorian national it alleges is in the United States illegally. ICE ERO Philadelphia also shared a photo of Salinas-Vasquez in custody.
Market Street Fight Tied To Assault Charges
Prosecutors link the case to a November 2025 altercation outside a business on Market Street in Upper Darby that left one man with a lacerated torso and a deep cut to his jaw. Court records show Salinas-Vasquez is charged with aggravated assault, possession of an instrument of crime, simple assault, harassment and evading arrest. He is charged alongside Jose Gaviria-Sanchez and Paul Urina-Sanchez. Salinas-Vasquez was first held on 10 percent of $100,000 bail, then released from Delaware County Prison on Feb. 2 when his bail was converted to an unsecured bond, according to Daily Voice.
Courtroom Arrests Rattle Legal And Immigrant Advocates
Local public defenders and immigrant advocates argue that courthouse arrests like this one can scare off victims and witnesses, making it harder to prosecute crimes and keep neighborhoods safe. That concern has been the focus of recent reporting by The Philadelphia Inquirer, which has tracked multiple ICE arrests in and around local courthouses and the resulting calls for policy changes. With Salinas-Vasquez now in ICE custody, he could face federal immigration proceedings at the same time Delaware County prosecutors push ahead with the criminal case.
Next Steps In County Court And Immigration Proceedings
The cases against Gaviria-Sanchez and Urina-Sanchez have been held for the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, where judges will decide how the criminal matters move forward. Daily Voice reported that both co-defendants remain on the county docket. County prosecutors and ICE typically operate on different timetables, so it may be weeks before the next round of court dates or immigration hearings appears on the public calendar.
