Worker at popular Providence restaurants detained by ICE, moved to Texas facility

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — A longtime worker at two well-known Providence restaurants has been held in a Texas immigration detention facility for nearly a month following his arrest by federal agents.

Pablo Grave de la Cruz, 36, was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on June 17 outside the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal in Cranston, according to his partner, Samuel Spadavecchia.

Spadavecchia told 12 News that Grave de la Cruz had appeared in court that morning for a civil traffic violation tied to a recent crash in Coventry, after he refused a chemical test. Shortly after the hearing, ICE agents arrested him.

According to a GoFundMe page, Grave de la Cruz was initially held for five days at the Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls before being transferred—without notice to his family or attorneys—to an ICE facility in Raymondville, Texas, where he remains.

In a statement to 12 News, ICE Boston spokesperson James Covington said Grave de la Cruz is “an illegally present Guatemalan alien” with two prior DUI convictions, another motor vehicle offense, and a pending charge for a third DUI.

“Allowing this alien offender to remain on the streets of Rhode Island only places the safety of our neighbors in jeopardy,” Covington said. “ICE Boston will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing criminal alien offenders.”

Spadavecchia said his husband, who came to the U.S. undocumented at age 16, has been waiting on visa approval since the couple married in 2016. He also noted that Grave de la Cruz’s last DUI charge was in 2013 and he has no other criminal history.

While the two have been in daily contact, ICE has not provided any updates to either of them, according to Spadavecchia.

Grave de la Cruz is described as a beloved figure in the hospitality industry, having worked at some of Rhode Island’s most well-known restaurants.

The GoFundMe page states that immigration judges have denied him bond. Loved ones are now seeking donations to cover legal fees, either online or in person at Gilligan’s Pub.

“His absence is deeply felt by all of us, because to know Pablo is to love Pablo, with his infectious smile and vivacious personality,” the page reads. “Pablo has given endlessly to all of us and now is our time to give back to him.”