I.C.E. responds to detainment of Kalamazoo doc; cites 18 encounters with local law enforcement

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement team has responded to the investigation of a Kalamazoo doctor who was detained last week.

I.C.E confirms they arrested Dr. Lukasz Niec on January 16 for administrative immigration violations.

Dr. Niec came to the U.S. lawfully in 1987 with his parents as a child from Poland. He had two 1992 state convictions for malicious destruction of property and receiving stolen property.  Both crimes are described by I.C.E. as crimes "involving moral turpitude." Relatives told FOX 17 that one of those crimes was expunged.

I.C.E. says that Dr. Niec recently came under agency scrutiny as a result of 18 encounters with local law enforcement.  The agency doesn't describe what those encounters entailed.  FOX 17 is contacting local law enforcement regarding this information.

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Checking through records, FOX 17 found five incidents of Dr. Niec being pulled over for speeding in Kalamazoo County and he was charged with Driving While Impaired in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan in 1999.

I.C.E. says Dr. Niec will remain in custody pending removal proceedings.

I.C.E. says they cannot remove anyone from the U.S. who is a lawful permanent resident if they have not been convicted of an aggravated felony, a domestic violence crime, drug or weapons offenses or crimes of moral turpitude.  A lawful permanent resident can be deported for having two crimes of moral turpitude on their record, regardless of time in the U.S.

We'll have more details on this when it becomes available.