A Weslaco wife wants her husband released from immigration custody.

She says he was detained just days after their baby's birth.

Inside the NICU, a newborn fights for her life and her father cannot be by her side because he's in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody.

Juan Chavez Velasco, a DACA recipient who has lived in the United States since childhood, was detained by ICE on February 18, just 12 days after his daughter was born 10 weeks premature.

"He was on his way to Driscoll to see if he could drop off some breastmilk," Velasco's wife, Stephanie Villarreal, said.

Villarreal says she was on the phone with her husband when ICE agents took him into custody. It happened at the entrance of their neighborhood, just blocks away from their home.

"He started telling them, 'I'm active DACA, I'm active DACA, I have my work authorization,' and he was frantic and I was panicking and the ICE agent basically told him it didn't matter," Villarreal said.

The family's attorney, Jodi Goodwin, says Velasco has no criminal history and has held DACA status for more than a decade.

She says his detention stems from a 2005 removal order after his family's asylum case was denied.

"His parents brought him here when he was eight years old, so he's been here for 27 years," Goodwin said. "When they came in, they came in on a visa. During that time period, while they were still in their status, they applied for asylum."

That asylum request was denied by a judge and upheld on appeal. Fast forward to 2016, the case was reopened.

Velasco's parents were able to receive their green cards through their daughter, a U.S. citizen, but Velasco did not qualify. He instead received DACA status in 2012.

"Once DACA was announced, he applied immediately for DACA and he's had DACA continuously for the past 13 years," Goodwin said.

Goodwin says Velasco has renewed his DACA status every two years since, without issue and was never flagged for the prior removal order.

Channel 5 News asked Goodwin why the order was given now.

"Trump. Steven Miller. Horrible, unrealistic, completely illogical priorities targeting DACA recipients," Goodwin said.

Immigration authorities say the arrest is justified.

In a statement, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson says Velasco is in the country illegally and has a final order of removal.

They add DACA does not provide legal status or protection from deportation.

Velasco remains in custody at the Webb County Detention Center in Laredo. His attorney has filed a stay of deportation and ICE will make the final decision.

Back at home, Villarreal waits, caring for their children while their newborn remains hospitalized.

"He deserves to be home with his family, just like any other family deserves to be together. DACA was made to protect people like my husband," Villarreal said.

Watch the video above for the full story.