A 24-year-old illegal immigrant from India faces charges after allegedly attacking a mother and her three-year-old daughter at a San Antonio park, biting the child’s face and causing her to lose two teeth. Federal immigration officials now say the Biden administration previously declined to take action against the suspect despite his earlier felony assault arrest.
The April Attack
San Antonio police arrested Atharva Vyas on April 18 following the incident at Espada Park. A witness who did not know either party restrained Vyas until officers arrived. The victim, 27-year-old Gabriella Perez, told local media she was fishing with family when Vyas emerged from nearby woods and began attacking her. According to police reports, Vyas grabbed Perez by the hair and pulled her to the ground, causing her to drop her daughter. Witnesses said he then attempted to gouge the mother’s eyes before turning his attention to the child.
Perez described the horrific scene to reporters, saying Vyas bit her daughter’s face multiple times. The toddler suffered serious facial injuries including bite marks and the loss of two teeth. Perez compared the attack to something from a horror film. Vyas now faces charges including injury to a child with intent to cause bodily injury, assault causing bodily injury, and illegal entry.
Immigration History Sparks Controversy
Department of Homeland Security officials revealed Vyas entered the United States in August 2023 on a student visa. Just three months later, University of Texas police arrested him for felony assault and contacted Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Despite this prior arrest, DHS says the Biden administration determined the offense was not egregious enough to warrant visa revocation or immigration enforcement action. The Trump administration later revoked Vyas’ student visa in April 2025 due to the assault arrest. ICE has now lodged a detainer requesting that San Antonio authorities transfer Vyas to federal custody after he completes the criminal justice process.
Federal Response and Local Cooperation
Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis condemned the attack in a DHS statement, calling it completely preventable. She criticized the Biden administration’s decision not to take action following the earlier assault charge. The case highlights ongoing tensions between federal immigration authorities and local law enforcement agencies regarding cooperation policies. Dallas recently updated its immigration policy after state officials warned the city could lose approximately 32 million dollars in public safety grants. The new policy allows Dallas officers to inquire about immigration status after lawful detention or arrest and cooperate with federal immigration officers when reasonable.
