Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include a statement from Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials regarding their reason for detaining Randy Cordova-Flores.

A Springdale man arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents Tuesday is struggling to remain positive while being held in a West Virginia jail.

“They’re playing mentally with him,” said Paulette Cordova of her brother. “They’re trying to break him.”

Originally from Peru, Randy Cordova-Flores, 36, was detained after Springdale police stopped him for allegedly failing to use a turn signal near the corner of Lincoln and James streets, Paulette said.

“He’s not having a good time,” she said.

Her brother is being held in a small cell for 23 hours per day, Paulette said. She said he uses his free hour to make phone calls to family.

She has managed to speak to her brother twice from Northern Regional Correctional Facility and Jail near Moundsville, W.Va., where he’s currently being held.

In a statement Friday afternoon, an ICE spokesman said Cordova-Flores “failed to report to his immigration proceedings as ordered by a judge.”

Border Patrol agents encountered Cordova-Flores in 2023 near Yuma, Ariz., after he “unlawfully entered the United States during the Biden Administration’s catch and release program,” the statement said.

“He will now face consequences for violating our nation’s laws,” the statement said.

Paulette said the family hired an immigration attorney, who had advised her not to respond to ICE’s statement.

A search of state and federal court dockets showed no past or pending criminal charges against Cordova-Flores.

She said Cordova-Flores has a “pending asylum” status case. He works as a landscaper but also took jobs as a food delivery driver during winter months, she said.

Cordova-Flores has a Real ID Pennsylvania driver’s license, Social Security card and current work permit, according to Paulette.

Since her brother’s arrest, Paulette said her family has spent much of their time in prayer.

The conditions inside the West Virginia jail have left her brother anxious and depressed, she said.

The situation hasn’t left the Cordova family feeling much better.

Cordova-Flores comes from a large extended family in the borough that includes his 11-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter, who are students in the Allegheny Valley School District.

“They’re scared. They cry all day,” Paulette said. “They want their dad.”

Still, she said, her family appreciates the outpouring of support from community members since her brother’s detainment.

An online fundraiser in support of Cordova-Flores’ family had gathered nearly $23,000 by Friday morning while a letter of support for him circulating in the community purportedly had about 200 signers.

A “Love Thy Neighbor” rally, coordinated with Indivisible Pittsburgh, is planned for Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. at the corner of Pittsburgh and School streets in Springdale, to call for Cordova-Flores’ release.

Indivisible Pittsburgh is a branch of the larger Indivisible nonprofit organization that focuses on grassroots organizing against the Trump administration throughout the country.

In a press release from Indivisible, the group said the goal of the rally is to “not only draw attention to the incident but also to show support for the diverse community who lives in Springdale and surrounding neighborhoods; announcing that ALL ARE WELCOME HERE.”

Paulette said she’s unsure whether she’ll attend the protest, but she encouraged attendees to remain calm, saying she hopes things remain peaceful.

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