Philadelphia nanny arrested by ICE at PHL as Trump administration ramps up immigration enforcement at airports

A woman from Argentina who lives and works in Philadelphia is in ICE custody in New Mexico after she was arrested in July at Philadelphia International Airport while on her way to the FIFA World Cup. 

Iliana Lick, 30, has been living in the U.S for three years but has been in Philadelphia with her boyfriend since 2024. 

Lick's boyfriend, Steven Melchiorre, dropped her off at the airport on July 11. That's when she was arrested at a PHL terminal. Melchiorre reflected on the phone call the two shared moments after she was detained. 

"It's Iliana crying on the phone saying like, 'ICE arrested me, I'm at the detention center in Philadelphia,'" Melchiorre said.  "It hit me like a ton of bricks. I was so devastated."

Melchiorre said Iliana entered the country legally after obtaining a travel visa to be in the U.S. He said she was hoping to get a work visa and has a pending application to stay in the country.

"Never having missed a hearing date, never committed a crime, never missed any fees. It was surprising that she was arrested," he said. 

Lick had been building a life with her boyfriend in South Philadelphia. She has also been working as a nanny, helping look after Mike Brahm and Carolyn Bavington's young son.

Bavington said Lick's arrest is still hard to process.  

"A lot of emotions. We've been sad. We've been angry. We've been scared. A lot of scrambling, trying to figure out what we can do to help," Bavington said. 

CBS News Philadelphia has learned Lick's arrest is a part of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, with ICE increasing enforcement across the country, including at 15 U.S airports in recent weeks.

Last month, ICE took more than 46,000 people into custody for alleged immigration violations like entering the U.S. illegally or overstaying their visas, according to Department of Homeland Security data. 

It's a policy change under the Trump administration. Previously, people with a pending application were rarely detained.

Regarding Lick's case, DHS said in an emailed statement:

"She entered the United States on March 17, 2023, and overstayed her visa. Lick will remain in ICE custody pending the outcome of her immigration proceedings."

The DHS spokesperson added, "to be clear, work authorization or a pending application do not confer legal status in the United States.

While Melchiorre waits for a resolution, he is now worried about whether Lick will ever get the chance to come back home to Philadelphia. 

"It's tough seeing someone who has been ingrained in the community, all of a sudden be flying to an Argentina World Cup game get arrested at an airport. It's tough to see," Melchiorre said. 

Melchiorre said Lick is scheduled to have a bond hearing in New Mexico on Tuesday, where he hopes a judge will grant her a release on bond. The bond is not a guarantee and the possibility of her being deported is a real possibility. 

Lick's loved ones are staying positive and hopeful she can return home.