A 24-year-old Indian man, Atharva Vyas, has been arrested for assaulting a mother and her three-year-old daughter in a park in San Antonio, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has issued a detainer against Vyas, meaning that after his proceedings with law enforcement are concluded, he will be taken into ICE custody and deported.
Background of the Case
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that Vyas's student visa was revoked in 2025 due to his past criminal record, and he has been living in the United States illegally. The attack occurred on April 18 at approximately 3 p.m. when Gabriella Perez and her daughter were walking in a park. Vyas allegedly grabbed Perez by the hair, causing her to fall and drop the child. According to the San Antonio Express News, while Perez was on the ground, Vyas assaulted the child, causing serious bodily injury. When police arrived, they found Vyas restrained by a witness who intervened after witnessing the attack.
Victim's Account
Perez has spoken out about the attack and released a photo of her wounded daughter in a GoFundMe post, seeking help against the targeted attack. She stated that her daughter lost two teeth and, apart from physical injuries, the toddler was under extreme emotional distress. "Since the attack, my daughter has needed constant care, comfort, and reassurance. She is unable to be left with anyone else, so I have had to take time away from work to be by her side," the mother wrote.
Immigration History
The DHS tracked Vyas down and found that he entered the country in August 2023 on a student visa. "Just three months after his entry, he was arrested at the University of Texas campus for felony assault. The University of Texas Police contacted ICE. And yet, the Biden Administration determined this crime was not 'egregious' enough to warrant visa revocation and decided to take no enforcement action against Vyas," the DHS said in a statement, blaming the Biden administration for not taking action against a known offender earlier.
The department said Vyas's student visa was revoked in April 2025 by the Trump administration due to his past arrest. "This criminal illegal alien brutally bit this child and caused her to lose two teeth. This barbaric assault against this woman and her three-year-old in a park was completely preventable," said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. "The Biden administration NEVER should have released this animal following his arrest for assault. We are working with our partners in Texas to ensure this criminal illegal alien never roams free in American communities again."
