Amid the ongoing immigration policy debate in Washington, a family gathered Friday outside the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in south Oklahoma City to seek the release of their father, a man federal immigration officers detained earlier this week.

Authorities say Luis Plaza Moreno is a 44-year-old immigrant from Mexico who illegally entered the United States near Nogales, Arizona, in 2002 — and had not reported in as he had been asked to do.

A father of six, a man of Christian faith who works two jobs as a cook was detained by immigration officers Oct. 25 at the immigration field office at 4400 SW 44. "Plaza" — as he is called by family — went there to renew his work permit, his children say.

His youngest, a son, is 7 years old. Ivon Plaza, the second eldest of the family, cried as she talked about explaining the situation to her young sibling.